Lorccan Juda: Fire and Ice
by JediBoedicea
Summary: Full summary inside. AU Set between Episode I and II
1. Chapter 1

**Prologue**

Bastila Skywalker stood amidst the swirling crowds that characterised a Coruscanti market. She had always been taught to observe every minute detail as it was a vital ability when it came to missions.

But today was not a mission.

No, today was a chance to witness her own backyard instead of planets thousands of lightyears away. A chance to use the detail awareness to soak up interesting, yet completely uselss information for herself instead of the Jedi Order.

Grinning mischieviously, Bastila gazed at the colourfully feathered avians before her, quizzing the shopkeeper for all he was worth about the birds. Bastila returned to her Master, relating all the facts that the shopkeeper had imparted to her.

Ania Nors smiled. Obiwan had been right. The girl needed desperately to get out of the temple and the pressures of Jedi study.

Bastila turned her head her eyes locking onto something else in the distance, and her dark eyes lit in wonder.

Ania laughed at the look in her Padawan's eyes. "What is it, young one?"

"There" Bastila pointed, without taking her eyes off of the creature that gripped her attention. "Across the market. What in the three moons is that?" Bastila finally wrenched her eyes from the creature to look her Togruta master in the eyes. "Can I go ahead, Master Ania? I won't be long. And I'll call you on the comlink when I get there." Bastila watched the indecision shift in her Master's eyes to acceptence.

"Alright Bastila. But be careful." Ania wanted to accompany her but knew that at fifteen, Bastila needed independece if she was ever going to become a successful Jedi Knight. Besides, the stall was only at the other end of the market. Ania watched the slender girl, or rather, young woman, run swiftly and effortlessly through the compressed crowds, her wavy black-brown hair streaming behind her. She smiled. Although Ania was Bastila's third master (the first two having been killed in action), since arriving on Coruscant eight years before, she was Ania's first Padawan.

She only hoped she would be able to do right by her.

The buzz on Ania's comlink pulled her out of her reverie. She flicked the talk button. "Bastila?"

"Yes, master, it's me. I'm just in the shop now. This gnorran is really odd!"

"Alright, child, just don't be long."

"Don't worry Master, I wont." Ania switched off her comlink, replacing it to the folds of her Jedi robe, and proceeded to examine sparkling trinkets at one of the vendors. Ania sometimes wished Jedi were allowed to have possessions such as these. She sighed, straightening from her perusal. And suddenly an inexplicable feeling of fear washed over her.

Bastila studied the various interesting animals within the store. "We have more specimens out back." the shopkeeper informed her, gesturing towards a door at the back of the dimly lit store. Bastila's eyes lit. "May I see them?"

"Sure, go ahead little Jedi." She strode out to the back of the store, and indeed there were at least twenty different species of animal. Bastila stopped at each of them and imparted soothing words to the more restless of them, and they immediatley began to calm down.

"Lovely, aren't they?" came a female voice. Still bent to the animals level, Bastila smiled without turning around.

"Yes, they are." she replied. She felt the woman's presence come closer. Bastila looked up. The stranger was dressed in commoner's garb with a heavy hood covering her head. A common enough sight. But there was something about this person that made Bastila frown. Her warning bells sounded too late though, as the figure stretched out a hand at the speed of light and grabbed Bastila's throat. At the same time, Bastila felt her insides start to burn as though on fire as the stranger injected a needle into her stomach. She uttered a gasp, trying to remember Jedi techniques that would save her from this seemingly impending fate. But her mind was blank but for the exruciating pain in her gut. She stayed conscience just long enough to feel Ania's surprise and fear resonate through the Force.

**Chapter One**

Ania hurried through the halls of the Jedi temple at an alarming pace, earning her odd looks from her fellow Knights. But she couldn't care less. She felt ready to let the tears of frustration and self beration escape from her stinging eyes, but years of Jedi emotion training would not let her. She had to inform the council of what had occurred. The moment the dark feeling had come upon her, Ania had rushed to the store her Padawan had entered. She searched, and when the shopkeeper couldn't give her anything more than a shrug, she had scanned the streets of Coruscant, searching desperately for a trace of her young apprentice. She felt ready to scream with worry. After a hour and nothing to indicate where Bastila had gone, Ania had raced back to the Jedi Temple. And now she moved with such determined purpose, no one stopped her to ask her trouble until she reached the doors of the Council. The temple worker informed her that the council were in the middle of a discussion, but should be finished soon. Ania paced in front of the doors. She looked at her wrist chrono and glared at it as if daring time to go any slower. All Jedi lessons of patience were thrown to the wind in her worry.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, the giant doors to the council chambers opened. Ania took a deep breath, trying her hardest to calm her turbulent emotions before presenting herself to the masters. She smoothed her cloak and entered the circular room with feigned serenity and bowed before the council.

Windu was the first to speak. "I sense you are troubled Ania. Tell us what is hindering you."

Ania breathed in deeply, then addressed the Jedi Masters. "It's my fault." she lowered her head, composing herself before saying more.

The members of the council waited patiently, all sensing the turmoil within her. After a minute, the Togruta lifted her head and continued with her tale. "I took Bastila to the market today. She badly needed to get out of the temple. I allowed her to go into a distant store alone, thinking I was helping her by giving her her independence." Her voice broke. "I was wrong, Masters."

"Calm yourself, you must." came Yoda's understanding voice, already sensing what had happened.

"Go on." Mace Windu urged gently.

"I felt a darkness. A presence. I tried my best to find her, any trace of her. She's been kidnapped, I know it Masters! She would never just run off like that. It's just not in her to cause so much worry knowningly." Ania searched the faces around her and read in them concern and sadness. Bastila had touched all their hearts, and all had a fondness for the child.

"Please, Masters, I have come here to ask for your permission to begin searching for her."

Windu and Yoda looked at each other. "By now, Bastila could've already been taken off-planet."

"All the more reason for me to start looking _now_. Please. I can't let her down."

Yoda looked thoughtful, not that Yoda ever didn't look thoughtful. "Discuss this matter in private, we will. Until we summon you again, wait for us you must."

Ania swallowed. "Yes, Masters." she took a bow and left the chambers.

"Obiwan?" Ania Nors spoke to the bearded man leaning over a Jedi holocron, studying it intently. Obiwan Kenobi looked up, his smile of greeting morphing into a concerned frown at the look on his colleague's alien face.

"Please, Ania, sit." the man gestured to a seat opposite him. "What's the matter?"

Ania sighed, and related the same story to Obiwan that she had told the council, watching the frown on his gentle features deepen in concern.

"I have come to you with this out of respect for your Padawan. He ought to know what's happened to his sister."

Obiwan wasn't relishing the thought of revealing this information the Anakin. He doubted he would take it rationally.

Ania spoke again."Oh, Obiwan, I don't know what to do. The council has agreed to my request to go on my own and find out what happened to her, but now that my request has been granted, I don't know quite what to do with it. I don't know where to even begin looking for her." Obiwan looked upon the Togruta with compassion. She was still very young, and Bastila had only been her Padawan for two years and she was very inexperienced. He also felt a pang of sadness. He loved little Bastila as he loved Anakin. They were the closest thing to a family he had. He reached out and placed his hand over both her's that were knotted on the table. "I will see what I can do. Maybe the Council will allow Anakin and I to accompany you. I know that Anakin would come without any hesitation."

Ania looked up at him sharply, her eyes glittering with hope. Obiwan smiled. "I'll consult the Council before breaking the news to my Padawan."

"Abducted?" Anakin Skywalker's blue eyes shifted between anger and worry. "I knew something wasn't right!" Obiwan stood calmly, hands clasped in front of him, watching his Padawan pace the room anxiously. "But, you say the council has agreed to let us go find her?" Anakin finally said, spinning around to face his master.

"Yes. I suppose they know that you, more than anyone will be able to locate her." Obiwan confirmed. Anakin nodded solemnly and collapsed into a seat raking a hand back through his short ash-blonde hair. He looked up at his master. "When do we start?"

"Today."

_**Sith Academy-Korriban**_

Bastila groaned as she felt herself ascend from the darkness of oblivion and immediatley wanted to return to it as a wave of nausea swept over her. She took deep breaths, trying to calm herself down and figure out where she was. She tried to move her hands and groaned at the uselessness of the action. Her hands were clamped down by some cold manacles, as were her feet. She knew that without having to move them. She heard a harsh laugh, and then a familiar voice. The woman! The one who did this to her!

"It would seem, Master Tyrannus, that our little Skywalker rat is awakening." _Skywalker? _How did this woman know who she was?

Bastila opened her eyes, allowing them to adjust to the dimly lit room. _They told me they were taking me to Kashyyyk. But this can't be it! _"Where am I?" she asked meekly.

"Far away from your Jedi friends... and your _brother._" The woman said it like a curse. Bastila's fear began to gnaw at her. The woman before her wore a black intimidating robe with a high collar. She had a bald, tatooed head, and chalk white skin. She winked evily with her one cybernetic eye. Bastila didn't think she had ever seen anything so beautiful and equally terrifying.

"Now, come Asajj, we don't want to frighten the child too much." _Asajj?_ Bastila thought, searching her memory, then gasped. _Asajj Ventress_? She had heard Obiwan speak of her.

The owner of the deep educated male voice laughed and stepped into her line of sight. The man was tall with white hair, dark eyes, and a commanding presence. Bastila shrank back as far as she could. The man bent over her. "Do you know who I am, little one?" When she didn't answer, he grinned, which didn't make her feel anymore at ease. She squinted, then cried out in recognition and turned her head away. _Dooku. Qui-Gon's former master._ Dooku smiled and straightened, clearly pleased at the fear he cause in the girl.

Ventress laughed. "Should we tell her where she now resides, Master?" Bastila opened her eyes and looked at the frightening woman in question. "You are in the most ancient Sith Academy. On Korriban." The planet's name didn't ring any bells with Bastila, but she felt the dark power behind the name, and knew that she was on a planet of great evil.

She summoned her voice. "Why did you bring me here?"

It was Dooku who answered her. "The Skywalker children are well renowned for their affinity to the Force. An affinity that could prove incredibly usefull." And suddenly, realisation hit Bastila like a swarm of mynoks. They wanted to turn her to the dark side. To use her power against all that was just and good.

"No." she whispered. Then more loudly "_No!"_

The woman named Ventress smiled with malicious delight. "Shall I persuade her, my lord?"

Dooku looked at Bastila thoughtfully. "No. I will deal with this one."

"Very well, Master." Ventress conceded, but Bastila could tell she was disappointed. The tatooed figure moved gracefully out of the dark room, shutting the heavy stone door behind her.

The man came close and looked down on Bastila again. "Now, little one. Will you concede to your training? Will you embrace the power of the dark side and it's various techniques?"

Bastila wanted to cry out for her brother. For Ania, Obiwan, _anyone_ who might hear her. But she refused to allow herself that embarrassment. Dooku read what was in her eyes. "I thought as much." his eyes hardened. "Young Skywalker, you have left me no choice."

"There is _always_ a choice." she responded softly. She might've saved her breath for all the attention he paid her. He moved to a control console on the other end of the room.

Without turning around he said. "One more chance, Bastila."

"No."

Tyranus inputted a code into the console and hit execute. He first heard the girl gasp in surprise, and then her agonized screams tore through the chamber as the forks of lightning racked her small body.

_Peace is a lie; there is only passion_

_Through passion I gain strength_

_Through strength I gain power_

_Through power I gain victory_

_Through victory my chains are broken_

_--Sith Code_

Lorccan Juda sat on the hard, cold stone floor, repairing a kink in his lightsaber. He heard the girl's screams and tried to blot them from his mind. She needed to learn, as he had learnt. He looked up and frowned as the screaming didn't cease.

Stupid girl. All she had to say was that she would accept Dooku as her master, and everything would be fine.

But of course she wouldn't. She was a _Jedi_. A Jedi with their typical stubborn will and pathetic morality. Dooku may have tortured him when he disobeyed but he was _strong._ He was _powerful._ So he knew he should be grateful to have such a teacher to teach him the dark arts. Not that Lorccan knew or remembered anything else. Just the cold bitterness and hard pride beaten into him.

But the _Jedi?_

Oh, now the _Jedi_ were too confident in their phantom abilities, in their "peace-for-all" attitude. Peace was an illusion. A huge big stinking joke of an illusion. When was there ever peace?

Lorccan finished fixing his lightsaber and replaced the crystal. They fought for something that could never exist. Better to fight for something that did exist.

Power.

Lorccan stood and brushed the dust from himself, placing his lightsaber in his belt. He heard the giant door to the torture chamber open as the screaming finally stopped. Instead it was replaced by a quiet sobbing, once again stifled as the door closed again. Dooku's footsteps echoed along the stone empty corridor.

Lorccan met his master in the corridor. "Ah, Lorccan." Dooku smiled. "I take it you heard our little prisoner's protests?"

"Yes, my lord. She has a strong will."

"I will that will prove quite futile." Dooku replied in his deep resonant voice.

"How long before the other Skywalker comes do you think, my lord?" Lorccan asked.

Tyrannus nodded again. "I would'nt doubt that he's already begun searching. It wont be long before he's here. Of, course, we'll have to deal with Kenobi, but Ventress has been awaiting that privilege for some time."

Lorccan nodded. "If you don't mind me asking, Master, why didn't you just capture Skywalker in the first place instead of first taking his sister?"

"Ah, excellent question, my young apprentice. Two reasons. One, Anakin is older, stronger and more attuned to the Force than even she, meaning it would be far more difficult to capture him. Also, the two are known to have a powerful Force bond. By confusing her about where she's going, where she is, and what she's doing, we in turn confuse her brother. Anakin Skywalker is an impatient, easily angered boy. It wont be long before his frustration gets the better of him. But by then we would've turned Bastila, with him not far behind."

Lorccan grinned and nodded his head. "Very cunning, my lord." Someday the haughty Jedi would be brought to their knees by this group of people they never even knew existed. He smirked.

"Now, come apprentice, I think a dueling lesson is long over-due."

**Jedi Shuttle, Mid Rim, 18 standard hours from Kashyyyk System**

Anakin Skywalker sat bolt upright in his bunk and groaned, raking his hands through his hair. The dream had been so vivid, so real. His sister, alone in the darkness, screaming for him. He searched and searched but couldn't find her. Her screams tormented him, but when they eventually disappeared, enveloped by the heavy darkness, he panicked even more. Shaking his head, he fell heavily back onto his bed, but knew he wouldn't go back to sleep now. He couldn't face the world of his dreams.

He had been eager to begin searching for Bastila. He, Obiwan and Ania had begun the questioning where his sister had first disappeared. Once there, Anakin had felt his sister's lingering presence, like a mental holocam, replaying her thoughts and situation to him. He had felt her surprise and fear, and after following the Force trail, he had found a lingering message. _Ani...help! I think they said...were...Kashyy... _The echoes of Bastila's thoughts had begun to fade after so many hours, but Anakin still understood. They were taking her to the Wookie planet. Anakin had wondered why in all the worlds anyone would want to take a Padawan prisoner on Kashyyyk, but accepted it uneasily.

Now, here they were, ten hours into travel and Anakin didn't feel any closer to his sister. In fact, he felt even further away. But they would learn what they could at Kashyyyk. Just thinking that he may never see Bastila again cut through his heart. He dared not think on that possibilty, lest he lose himself. He swore, and got to his feet, pulling a lightwieght shirt over his torso and walked through the corridor of the small ship into the cargo hold. There was the starfighter they had loaded. Anakin sat down by it roughly, reached for a toolbox, and began tinkering with it's engine. He wanted it as fast as possible. One never knew when such a feature could prove vitally useful.

Suddenly, he felt a familiar presence in the room with him. Anakin didn't look up as his master came and sat beside him, watching him working on the fighter. Anakin knew why he was here. He wanted to talk. About Bastila. But he couldn't talk about his sister. Not now, when she was in so much danger. He sensed something dark was attacking her, but couldn't be exactly sure what.

After another minute of Obiwan's seemingly endless patience, Anakin swore again, throwing the hydrospanner to the ground. He put his head in his hands.

"I dream, Obiwan. I dream of a darkness so heavy it drowns out sight and sound. All sound but for Bastila's screams. But eventually they too fade away." he shook his head in frustration. "But I don't know what it means! What will I do if something happens to her? What will I _do?" _When he eventually looked at his master, Obiwan saw it was with tears in his eyes. Obiwan sighed.

"I love her too, Anakin. Ania loves her. But we _will _find her. And," he took a deep breath. "If we don't for some reason, then we will honour her memory and remember how she was." He saw his words did not please his Padawan.

Anakin stood shakily. "But it's not fair, Master." he shook his head. "Bastila is kind and gentle. Who would want to hurt her? Why? Why have all these things happened to her? She has lost two masters already, three including Qui-Gon. And yet she hasn't once complained or whined about her lot in life! She is a far better person than I, yet all curses seem to fall upon her head!" he sat down abruptly. "It's not right. It's not _just._"

Obiwan smiled sadly. "I know it isn't, Anakin. But we all have our share of curses. You, included."

Anakin looked at him. "But Obiwan, I _deserve _my curses. I have done terrible things, I make decisions without thinking, and I know I'm not the best apprentice one could hope for." Obiwan said nothing, stunned at this confession from his Padawan. Anakin looked at Obiwan sharply. "Obiwan,"' he asked softly , "Do you ever regret promising Qui-Gon to train me?"

"No." Obiwan answered without hesitation. "There were often times when I felt myself not yet up to the task of mentoring you, and I sometimes wondered if Qui-Gon had been mad, thinking I was ready for such a burden." he looked Anakin square in the eyes. "But I'm glad for the burden." he smiled. "You have taught me a lot about myself." he put a hand firmly on Anakin's shoulder. "And you have been a good friend. You have shown great humility in your confession, which is something to be admired."

Anakin smiled, wanting to hug his brother-for-a-master like he always had as a child, but decided against it as Obiwan picked up the hydrospanner from the floor. Waving the tool in front of Anakin's face, he grinned. "Let's see if we can upgrade this hunk of junk better than the mechanics at Coruscanti spaceport."

Anakin laughed, taking the offered tool. "Shouldn't be too hard."

_**Sith Academy-Korriban**_

Bastila screamed as the agonizing bolts licked through her weary body. She couldn't take this anymore. Two days of seemingly endless tortures, and she simply couldn't stand it anymore! But she must not break. She _mustn't_. Dooku and Asajj seemed to take turns at her torture. They usually stopped just before she passed out from the pain. And today they were being even more relentless, giving breaks of just over five minutes before starting up again. She wanted to die. She just wanted to die and have all this pain leave her.

After hours of torture and torment, Dooku said to her again. "Are you ready now, Bastila? Are you ready to learn? One word from you, one word and all the pain will stop."

The words were tempting, so terrifyingly tempting. But Bastila hardened her resolve and shook her head.

On the third day she was asked the same question. The pain was so excruciating, Bastila's face was wet with her tears, and she could taste the saltiness of them trickle into her mouth. "Well?" Dooku questioned. "Are you ready?" Stifling one last sob, Bastila couldn't look the horrid man in the face as she meekly whispered, "Yes."

"Ah, Lorccan." Tyranus greeted Juda.

"Yes, my lord?"

Dooku smiled. "Our little friend has been broken. Release her, and take her to the empty room at the end of the corridor. She must regain some of her strength before she starts training tomorrow."

"Yes, master." Lorccan made his way over to the torture chamber. _Tomorrow?_ He thought as he made his way down the corridor. _She's just been through three days of endless torture, and he want's her to train _tomorrow? He shook his head, then grinned mirthlessly. _Wonder if the Jedi prepared her for _that.

Lorccan found himself feeling moderately irritated by his new position as Tyranus' lackey. But he knew that until he passed the trials to prove himself a full Acolyte like the rest of the Academy's students, he knew that it was a position he would have to accept.

Entering the torture chamber, he stopped to take in the sight before him. The girl strapped to the platform was barely a year or two younger than himself, but she was so slight, he found it a wonder she had even survived at all. Her resolve must've been incredibly strong.

As he began unshackling the girl, he heard her shallow breath coming faster, more panicked. Her eyes shot open, then stared at him in fear. "Don't worry." he said. "I've been sent to take you to one of the rooms. You won't be in pain anymore." he leaned closer to her tear drenched face. "If you listen and obey, that is." she shrank back from him, but then suddenly her dark eyes seemed to accept her situation, and her body relaxed.

"Can you move?" he asked gruffly. She tried meekly to lift her arm, but it simply flopped back uselessly onto the table. He frowned. "Alright." He lifted her into his arms roughly and heard her short gasp of pain. He realised his fault and tried to be more gentle with her. As he carried her weight down the corridor, he felt her head lean into his shoulder. He looked down at her closed eyes, and suddenly feared that she had died there in his arms, but then felt her steady heartbeat and relaxed.

She had just fallen asleep. He carried her into her assigned dorm, and placed her as gently as he could onto the crude bunk. It wasn't all that comfortable but it was worlds better than the torture table. He looked into her worn and tired face, and pushed the sweat drenched tendrils of hair back from her forehead. Looking down at her gentle features, Lorccan suddenly felt an inexplicable yearning to protect and care for her. His defences rose and he pulled his hand away and stood up, glaring at the sleeping girl, angry that he allowed any such feelings of tenderness enter his mind. Ventress would've killed herself laughing. He gave a harsh laugh himself at his own patheticness, leaving the dorm and pushing shut the heavy door behind him.

"Skywalker." Bastila felt her mind dragged from her dreamless sleep. "Skywalker!" Bastila opened her eyes to see the dark figure standing over her. He must be the young man from the day before. She tried to sit up, and winced at the stiffness in her joints, the weakness of her muscles. The boy looked at her and frowned. "Tyrannus says you are to begin your training today." he informed her as he helped her sit up.

_Training?_ Bastila wanted to cry out in frustration, remembering the previous days, and what she had agreed to do in her weakness."I can't believe how pathetic I am." she murmered. "I gave in. I gave in to torture."

The boy snorted. "And a good thing too! One more day and I'd say you wouldn't be alive right now."

She grimaced. "Then I should've stayed one more day." The figure's greyish green eyes looked at her strangely.

"Come." he said. "The master will not be happy to be kept waiting." Bastila stood, relying on all Jedi techniques to build her strength. The boy began to lead the way out the door, but Bastila grabbed his arm. He turned is head in question, annoyed. "What is it?"

"What is your name?" she asked, after a moment's pause

He looked at her strangely again. Then he replied, "Lorccan. Lorccan Juda." Then she thought she heard him say under his breath, "Like it matters."

Bastila followed Lorccan into a large circular hall, as dimly lit as the rest of the old academy. It was clearly the centre of the building with all of the corridors leading to it. In the middle was a dueling ring and against the wall a massive locker filled with various types of ancient Sith weapons. Bastila grimaced at the sight of the evil looking devices. A few students passed by them, looking at her strangely, and she could feel their animosity towards her. She was after all, a Jedi.

Bastila and Lorccan stood in the middle of the duelling circle.

Neither said a word as Dooku entered the hall from one of the linking corridors. He smiled unkindly at Bastila.

"Ah, young Skywalker, it is good to see you able to stand. The Skywalker reputation is not unfounded." Bastila did not reply, but simply glared at the man who had betrayed the Jedi all those years ago.

Dooku stepped closer. "Today is your first day of training, apprentice." He looked at her thoughtfully. "I take it you have not yet built your own lightsaber. You have trained with training sabers, yes?"

Bastila tipped her chin. "Yes."

"Yes, _Master." _he smiled. "Well today you study the construction of the Sith saber. Similiar to the Jedi's, but there are subtle differences." he ceremoniously handed her a holocron."Study this, because your life depends on it. Obey my commands, and you will be fine. Defy, and...you already know."

Bastila felt ready to spit at the man as she took the holocron. But she controlled her temper and inclined her head. "Yes." she stopped and gritted her teeth. "_Master."_

Dooku nodded approvingly. "You are learning already. Feed your anger young one. It will serve you well. You are dismissed."

Lorccan and Bastila turned and exited back through the South corridor.

The next day, Bastila was summoned again.

"Have you completed your studies?" Dooku asked her. Bastila lifted her head, with a slightly defiant tip to her chin.

"No." she said in her soft voice, but there was a quiet power behind her words. "I wont betray the Jedi, and I wont have my first lightsaber crafted from a Sith technique." Lorccan was mildly surprised that such a small thing could have such confident defiance, but didn't allow himself a look at her face.

Dooku nodded, almost solemnly. "I thought as much. But remember what I warned you about before." he gave a sharp whistle. Bastila frowned, but noticed that Lorccan didn't even flinch. "Now," Tyranus continued ,"you will face the penalty for defiance."

Bastila couldn't help herself from looking down the east corridor as the sound of footsteps could be heard resounding into the hall.

Then she gasped.

There came Ventress, and trailing behind her in iron shackles were two weary looking Rodians. She lined the men against the wall, then walked over to the Padawan and Sith with an unsettling smirk on her pale face.

Ventress walked right up to Bastila and whipped out a vicious looking vibrosword. She handed the weapon to the openly confused girl. "Now," she said with a hiss, "kill them." Bastila's dark eyes widened.

"What?" she choked, all her defiance evaporating.

Ventress seemed to relish her answer. "Kill them, or I will."

"No." Bastila whispered. Lorccan looked at her and thought he saw the glint of a tear in one eye. When had he last seen anyone cry in such a situation? It put an unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"Little, Skywalker, either _you_ kill them with one swift stroke, or _I_ will kill them. And I swear to you, I will be far less merciful."

Bastila looked over at the two men. They looked beaten, but one looked up at her. She cried out.

"No! These men are helpless!"

Ventress smirked. "So, what is your answer?"

_Kill them, or I will _Ventress had said. She knew that the woman meant what she said, but could she bring herself to kill anyone so helpless? She looked at the brutal instrument, then at the two prisoners. Crying out, she dropped the vibrosword, and it fell heavily to the stone floor with a clatter. She couldn't do it. She _couldn't!_

"Very well." Ventress said to the troubled girl. "Juda, make sure she doesn't move. I want her to watch this."

Bastila's huge eyes looked at Lorccan in fear as he stood behind her, lest she try to escape. Ventress moved closer to the Rodians. She lifted her hand, and a storm seemed to flee her outstretched fingers. The Rodians fell to the ground and began writhing on the floor like things possessed.

"No." Bastila whispered brokenly. "_No_!" she struggled, wanting to flee the room, but Lorccan's strong hands held her firmly in place. She closed her eyes, but the lack of sight only intensified the screams of the agonized beings. It seemed to last forever, but when the screams finally subsided, Bastila opened her blurry eyes. Ventress strode toward her, grinning. She grabbed her chin roughly, and made her look into her eyes, in order to witness the torment she had inflicted. She laughed, then looked up at Lorccan. "Alright, Juda. I think she's got the point." With a rough shove, she let go of Bastila and sauntered out the hall.

Bastila wrenched herself from Lorccan's arms, but this time she felt no resistance. She looked up at him once in disgust, then took off at a run down the South corridor.

"Skywalker!" Lorccan called after, taking chase. Bastila ran into her dorm. Lorccan followed her and found her hunched against the wall, her head resting against the surface as tears flowed freely down her cheeks. She spoke without looking at him. "I'll kill them both. Give me half a chance, and I'll kill them." She looked up at him, and the anger in her eyes was louder than if she had walked up to him and stabbed him in the gut. "Why did you keep me there? _Why?_ Why would you listen to that witch? How can you be so cruel?"

He sat gruffly on his haunches beside her. He grabbed her chin and wrenched her face to look him square in the eyes. "If I had disobeyed, what do you think they would've done? Next time, you would've seen _four_ helpless people awaiting their fate against that wall!" he glared at her. "And the number will double _every time_!" Bastila pulled her face away and covered it with her hands.

"It would've been more merciful for you to have killed them with the vibrosword! At least it would've been faster and less painful than minutes worth of electrocution!" The girls shoulders were shaking violently now. Lorccan's face softened. Seeing her so vulnerable suddenly sprung the unfamiliar inclination to put his arms around her. Instead he pushed the feeling away and glared. He stood abruptly and loomed over the quivering Padawan.

"Remember this, Skywalker," he growled ,"The Sith will break you. If you obey their commands you may let live with an ounce of your mind left." he picked up the Sith holocron Tyranus had given her and let it fall to the ground beside her.

"I suggest you start studying." With that, he turned tail and slammed the door shut behind him.

That night, Bastila tossed and turned, unable to relax for the unsettling anger in her heart. The cruel things! They deserved to die, not those helpless beings! But eventually exhaustion set in and she sank into a fitful sleep.

_She dreamed. She was surrounded by darkness so heavy it felt like she was drowning in it. She heard her brother calling her name and saw glimpses of him in the distance. She called out to him, to let him know where she was, that she would come to him soon. But first she needed to stay a while longer because the darkness meant justice. _

_Justice for the murdered prisoners. So she stayed as Anakin came running towards her. "Bastila!" he called. "Come away from there! Don't be a fool!" The light he was bringing with him was so wonderful she forgot all anger. She tried her hardest to release her self from the black sea, but found she couldn't move. Anakin grabbed her hand, but the darkness was too strong. It sucked her down into it's depths, and her brother down with her._

Bastila woke shaking.

The next morning, Lorccan came to her with Dooku's summons. Bastila smiled up at the boy but he looked away. Frowning, she followed him into the great hall. Lorccan was surprised to hear Bastila speak first. "I have finished my studies, my lord. I believe I am ready for the construction of my lightsaber." Lorccan looked at her in thinly veiled shock.

Dooku raised an eyebrow at her. "You learn quickly, Skywalker. Do you truly believe you are ready to build your first lightsaber?" he leaned forward slightly. "Even one of _Sith _design?"

Bastila nodded solemnly. "Yes."

Dooku straightened. "Very well. Lorccan, take Bastila to the workstation." he looked at her again. "And I look forward to the finished product." They left him and started down the West corridor.

Lorccan couldn't keep quiet any longer. "Well. It didn't take you long to fall into servitude. Yesterday you were angry and bent on killing us, and today you look as serene as a sleeping suubatar! What happened?" he smirked slightly.

Bastila paused a moment, not sure if she could trust this boy. He was _Sith_ wasn't he? But she detected no malice in his question.

"I had a dream. I can't explain. Not now anyway. I just don't want to fall to the dark side."

Lorccan scowled at her. "You do realise who you're talking to right? I follow the Sith, little Sky. I'm not your Yoda. I don't care if you "fall" to the dark side. Maybe it's better if you join us. Then no more battle is necessary."

Bastila shook her head. "Have they taken all fight out of you? I will listen to their teachings, I will learn your techniques, but it doesn't mean I ever have to use them."

"Oh, you will. Don't doubt that."

"They can have my obedience, but they can't take my soul." she continued and looked up at him. "Just like they haven't taken yours."

Lorccan laughed bitterly. "Oh, I beg to differ. You know _nothing _of the Sith or me. I have no _soul. _No one here does. And don't try to pretend you know better."

Bastila lowered her head, suddenly aching for this poor young man. He truly believed that he was nothing? Did he have no hope?

"How long have you been here, Lorccan?"

He glowered again. "Here? About three years. I've been trained as an Acolyte though, since I was five or six. On different planets. Travelling with Tyrannus and the rest of them." he gestured at a workbench as they entered a small room. "There's your station. May the Dark Lords inspire you."

_May the Dark Lords inspire you?_ Bastila thought. _Now, thats a new take on "May the Force be with you."_ She wanted to talk to him more, find out where his bitterness truly lay, but as she turned round, she just glimpsed the end of a black robe as he exited the room. She sighed, filled with compassion for him. She somehow didn't believe that he had the heart of a Sith. Since he was five or six? He probably hadn't even had chance to find out if he had a heart of anything else. She sat down at the workbench with a sigh. Lightsaber parts were spread across it's surface. She sat there, examining them, before closing her eyes, and casting her mind back to her studies. _Crystal, lens, refracter, input switch..._

_Lorccan Juda stood over the man who had betrayed them. The man was cowering in a corner, holding his hands to his head. "Kill him." Ventress ordered. Lorccan glared at the man. In his anger, he lifted him to his feet as the victim clutched at his throat, gasping for breath, eyes wide in fear._

_"You should know better," Lorccan told him with an icy voice ,"than to double cross the Sith." with that he turned his hand, snapping the man's neck. As the darkness closed in around him, he thought he heard Ventress' delighted laughter fading into the backround. _

_He was suddenly in a hall, much like the one on Korriban. In it were the people he had killed. _

_The guilty and the innocent. The young and the old. Men and women. They all looked at him with haunted eyes and he suddenly felt sick. All the memories of those murders came flooding back to him now. Like an ocean at full tide, he was drowning in the evil of his own deeds. He wanted to cry out. He suddenly felt an inexplicable fear, nearly turned his killing blade back on himself._

_Something stopped him._

_He screamed in frustration, as the nightmare refused to stop._

Bastila opened her eyes and cringed as another scream tore through the night. She couldn't ignore it. She got to her feet, left her room, and hurried in the direction of the noise. It came from a room a few doors down. Lorccan's room. She pushed open the heavy door and stepped lightly into the darkness. She could just make out Lorccan's shape on his bunk. The screams had subsided now, replaced by short breaths and occasional groans of pain. Bastila sat on the edge of the bunk and placed her hand lightly on his messy brown hair. She began to sing a lullaby her mother used to sing when she or Anakin was scared.

_Shush, child don't fear now_

_By your side peace will stay_

_The darkness has left you,_

_For the saving light of day_

Lorccan groaned again in waking. He opened his eyes, and looked at her, startled. He sat up and glowered at her. "What are you doing here?" he growled. "Come to kill me in the night?" he smirked. "Guess your little speech today was just a ruse."

"No, no, Lorccan!" she looked at him in concern. "You were having a nightmare. I-I heard you screaming. You sounded like you were in pain." The young man seemed taken aback by her answer.

_By the Force!_ Bastila thought exasperated _Has he never known someone to show a simple kindness? _

Lorccan turned his head away. Bastila reached and switched on the glowlamp. She blushed and immediately averted her eyes as she saw he wore nothing on his torso. "Do-do you have many nightmares?" she stammered. He didn't answer or even look at her.

"What was it about? Lorccan?"

He shrugged. "They were memories." he replied. "Just...memories."

Her dark eyes filled with compassion. "They must be dreadful. Are all your memories so terrible? Oh, surely you have _some_ pleasant memories, Lorccan! Of before you were taken for training?" He turned to her, glaring, and she could've kicked herself. She thought she might've got through his walls. But she clearly just ruined it. But she needed to know.

"What happened to your family? You said that Dooku found you. Where's your homeworld?"

His eyes didn't lose their hardness, but maybe he thought that if he told her, she'd leave. "You ask far too many questions Skywalker. I was born on Seadhan. My family abandoned me." he spoke without emotion.

Bastila frowned. "Is that what you remember, or only what Dooku told you?"

Lorccan scowled. "He has no reason to lie to me."

"Doesn't he?"

Lorccan snorted angrily. "Go back to sleep, girl." Bastila looked at him long and hard. Giving up, she sighed, and switched off the glowlamp. As she exited the room, Lorccan thought he heard her voice float sweetly back to him in a foreign language. But he knew the phrase and what it meant. _Sleep well, for peace will come as sure as the dawn._

Lorccan didn't go back to sleep. Instead, he lay awake, thinking about Bastila and the things she had said. He had heard the sweet song she sung to him moments before realising it was her sitting there beside him. He was unaccustomed to any kindness, and the fact that it came from one of the hated Jedi made it even more unsettling.

He had never really thought that Tyranus would lie to him about what happened to his family. Why should he? The thought troubled him. The truth was, he couldn't remember much of life outside the Sith. He remembered fleetingly of an expansive ocean and the eerie call of an aquatic animal, but that was all. He had never travelled to that memory very often, or searched for others more deeply rooted in his subconscious, for after all, what was the point? He knew what had happened. Or rather, he thought he had. Now he wasn't so sure. Blast that brown eyed Jedi! She was beginning to really mess him about.

Frustrated, he stood and rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. He hated uncertainty. It grated on him like a raw nerve. He sighed angrily. This wasn't really going to help with his trials tomorrow. Tyranus had finally deemed him worthy to undertake the trials that he had been brought to this planet to train for. The Valley of the Dark Lords lay just outside the academy, and Lorccan had awaited his time to enter the dangerous tombs for three years now. Now he suddenly wasn't sure if he was ready. Bastila was really confusing him. He felt strange when she looked at him. He gave an angry snort, and pushed her from his mind. He was glad Ventress was on another mission from Tyranus, for he didn't want her irritating presence in the premath of his trials. He shoved all doubts and uncertainties from his conscience, and readied his mind for the day that had been years worth of waiting.

Tomorrow, he would prove himself worthy of the rank of full Dark Acolyte.

Early in the morning, Bastila Skywalker decided to try out her new lightsaber. _Temporary saber_ she thought to herself. This lightsaber was far heavier than her old training one, but she quickly got used to it. She held the shining, (highly complicated as she had just earlier discovered), cylinder before herself, and pressed the activation switch. A long sword of red light shot from the handle with the characteristic _snap hiss_ of a lightsaber. Which was hardly surprising. She moved the saber around, listening to the comforting hum of the weapon as it moved through the air. The only quality of her lightsaber that unsettled her was it's crimson blade, but that could easily be changed by a different crystal once she returned to the Jedi.

The thought of the Jedi brought with it thoughts of her brother. She had thought about him and Ania and Obiwan much over the past days and wondered if they were worrying about her. She hoped Anakin was being rational for once. She knew he was prone to brashness when something he cared about was threatened. When _anything_ was threatened for that matter.

She sighed, trying to focus her mind on the task at hand. Dooku had taught her new fighting techniques, which she almost found herself feeling grateful for. After all, even Yoda said that Dooku was one of the best fighters in the galaxy. Even though Bastila didn't relish fighting to wound, she knew that these techniques may just save her life if it ever came to that. She listened to the lessons Dooku gave her and the nineteen other students at the academy, although she gathered they probably knew most of it anyway. She comforted herself with the thought that although she learnt their techniques, she would never have to embrace their philsophies. It was always good to know the way the mind of the enemy worked. But she often found herself feeling sorry for these beings, especially Lorccan. He was so lost and confused. He never really had much choice in the matter of the direction he would take, and she saw him battling daily with himself, trying to keep himself on this trail. Bastila could sense his desperate need to remain on the only path he had ever known. Any other was unexplored territory, and a frightening prospect for someone brought up the way he had been.

There was one other among the apprentices who drew Bastila's compassion. A girl about two years older than she named Sheeba, who had a temper fiercer than Lorccan's and eyes as empty and hollow as his. The other seventeen older students seemed truly consumed by the dark side, without any remorse. This had been their _choice_ to join the Acolytes. All the apprentices were forever at odds, goading each other and never a kind word passed between them.

Dooku entered the dueling chamber and smiled as he saw Bastila practising the new lessons he had taught her. He was very pleased with her so far, as she had embraced his teachings. Soon he would begin her training of the dark side of the Force.

"Excellent parry Skywalker." Dooku praised. Walking to her in his proud way, he brandished his own lightsaber. Turning to face him, she moved into a fighting stance. Dooku did a slow slice movement which Bastila easily caught with her saber from underneath, turning his lightsaber up and around. Dooku pushed her weapon back around, the force of the movement flinging her arm wide leaving her front exposed.

"No, Skywalker. Never underestimate the power of defensive counterattack!" he admonished. "Keep your blade arm firm but flexible. Never leave a point exposed!"

Bastila nodded, immediatley modifying her technique. They dueled for a further standard half hour, Dooku reproving Bastila for false moves and praising her when she heeded his advice. Dooku deactivated his lightsaber and said,"You are dismissed, Skywalker. I have matters to attend to."

"Uh, Master, before you go, there's something I really have been dying to know...About the Sith."

"Make it quick." Tyranus waved her on.

"Well, I've always heard, well...that the Rule of Two meant there could never be more than two Sith at any one time. How come you are training so many of us? Has the rule been abolished?"

Dooku seemed to think for a moment as if debating whether or not to tell her. "You are perceptive Bastila. I suppose it is right for you to know. You have been training in the ways of the Dark Acolytes, a sect of Force Sensitive beings. Since you and they shall never be taught the secrets but only the ways of the Sith, it is not in violation of the Code."

Bastila swallowed convulsively, but tried to put an accepting expression on her face. "Thank you for induldging my curiosity my lord."

Tyranus nodded and turned to leave. Bastila was confused. Here she was, being trained by a Sith Lord in the ways of the Dark Side, and yet she found that she had accepted his teaching, even found herself feeling grateful for them. She noticed that instead of looking on Dooku with anger and rebellion, she found herself filling with compassion. He fell to the dark side out of disillusionment and grief out of the death of his former Padawan, dear old Qui Gon Jinn. Maybe she could reach these "Dark Acolytes" ,of whom she had just learnt she was a member, and help them on their path back to the light. Tyranus had been one of the greatest Jedi, admirable in his education, manner, Force-adeptness, and dueling talent. And yet even he, having followed the Jedi faithfully for so many decades had been seduced by the dark side of the Force. It must have been terrible grief and anger to have driven him from the only path he had known. Much was the same for Ventress, whom it was rumored was trained by a Jedi stranded on her homeworld. When he had been killed, she let her anger dominate. Obiwan had often said that she was probably simply misled and dangerously disillusioned, but not entirely evil.

And then there was the young man named Lorccan. He had never known any other path than this. He said he didn't remember his family. Sometimes she felt as if she might get through his walls, and see the real reason he acted the way he did, but every time it seemed as if she may get through to him, he would give her the look of daggers and retreat back into himself. He must be going through terrible torment to have had such nightmares. Occasionally she would glimpse a different side of him, a gentler side, and could see the person he might've been had he been a child of love and not hate. But those moments were too few and far between. Oh, how she wished she could consult Ania or Obiwan, and be comforted by their wisdom. How she wished she could laugh with her brother and have him give her one of his crushing bear hugs. They were the people she knew she could always count on, the one's she would always love.

She wondered were they were and what they were doing.

_**Kashyyyk**_

"This is ridiculous." Anakin Skywalker growled under his breath. "Six days, and so far every one of our leads has turned up nothing!"

"Anakin, I understand you're frustrated,so am I, but you _need _to calm down!" Obiwan Kenobi urged his Padawan. "We need to stop and think about this rationally, or it will be even longer before we find her."

Anakin closed his eyes and took a deep breath before expelling it slowly. Six days. _Six days_ they had been here on Kashyyyk, asking around for anything suspicious, following trails that seemed to lead nowhere. But Anakin forced himself to pause and calm down. "I sense a dark presence here, Masters." he said, looking around. "I have felt it for the past two days."

"I have sensed it too. It does not bode well." Obiwan looked at Ania Nors, who nodded in agreement. He felt a wave of compassion for the Togruta. She was so worried, she had barely said anything over the past week. Obiwan understood how she felt. He had felt the same on the number of times Anakin had disappeared. It was a sense of failure and desperation.

"There is definately something more at work here. Whatever the presence is, it's good at cloaking exactly _what_ it is. One of these leads _has _to give us some sort of information."

"Unless," Anakin piped up, "This whole thing is a huge farce. Master, I don't feel my sister's presence. Not here. I haven't for all this time as I've already told you both. Maybe she's not even here! Shouldn't we be trying to find leads elswhere, maybe go back to Coruscant? Maybe there's something we missed."

Obiwan looked thoughtful."You may be right. Ania?"

"I believe he might be onto something. I haven't felt her presence and neither have you. And if Anakin hasn't then it pretty much points in one direction."

"Perhaps. But I vote we stay here one more day. Just in case. Then we'll head back to Coruscant to see if we've missed anything." Obiwan raised his eyebrows at his fellow Jedi in question.

Ania let out a slow breath. "I agree."

Obiwan looked to his Padawan, who was clenching and unclenching his fists in indecision, looking out over the railing of the high wooden platform. He put a hand to his face, then looked back at the knights. "Alright. One day." Ania and Obiwan nodded, as they began to walk again along the platform that wound it's way high between the gigantic Kashyyyk wroshyr trees. Anakin bit his lip and called out to them uncertaintly.

"Yes Anakin?" Obiwan asked as he turned around to listen to him. Anakin came forward.

"I just wanted to thank you for allowing me a say in your decision. I know that you didn't have to, you, know, with me being a Padawan and all." Ania's eyes softened at the young Jedi and Obiwan grinned. He put his hand firmly on Anakin's shoulder.

"And you didn't need to thank us." he said with a wry smile. It was times like these, when Anakin's wall of often quite arrogant youthful self confidence dropped and the humble and gentle young boy he had met on Tatooine surfaced, that Obiwan really admired his Padawan's character.

Watching the master and student with a soft smile, Ania felt a pang of guilt that she had so foolishly allowed her own apprentice to come to harm. Well, they were going to find her. They would find her and bring to justice those who had her abducted.

Asajj Ventress watched the Jedi trio from above in a giant wroshyr tree, and smiled in satisfaction. They had followed all her leads, all right. And all of them came to a dead end. She could already see the boy growing more agitated and annoyed, as every bit of evidence they found, or rather, was put in front of them, turned up no answers. Tyranus was indeed right about Skywalker. Keeping him searching in vain was quickly eating away at his patience, and she sensed his self control waning. Just let her play with them a little bit longer.

_So, _she thought wryly, _they are going to head back to Coruscant? _She snorted.

Not if she had anything to say about it.

**Tomb of Ancient Sith Lord, Marko Ragnos--Korriban**

Lorccan Juda followed his master through the gigantic granite door and into the dark tomb of Marko Ragnos. The Sith Lord's tomb seemed to emante the dark side and Lorccan felt the power, and danger, of this great structure. Many had passed through this tomb, this trial, in order to prove themselves as Sith over the millenia, and Lorccan felt in awe of it's immense age and power.

Darth Tyranus stopped him in the entrance hall. "This is where I will wait, Apprentice. At the far end of this corridor is the burial chamber and final resting place of the great Marko Ragnos. In a seprate compartment attatched to his sarcophogus is a lightsaber. You are to retrieve it and bring it back here to me." the master commanded.

It sounded simple enough, but Lorccan knew that it would be anything but. The Valley of the Dark Lord's was a place of a great many dangers and mysteries, and he knew better than to underestimate them.

Lorccan bowed low. "Yes, my master." He straightened, took a deep breath and cautiously moved down the darkened corridor. This was it.

The tomb was cold and dark, and was filled with the stale musty smell of badly circulated air. After two minutes of walking on the hard stone floor, Lorccan's danger alert rang in his head like a bell. He whipped out his lightsaber and the red blade sang into the air with a hiss. Although he couldn't see anything ahead of him, he felt the creatures presence, sensed it's heartbeat and intent.

Lorccan took another three slow steps forward, then made a lunge and swung at the air in front of him. The Hssiss' shrill cry broke through the eerily quiet depths of the tomb as it's natural camoflouge disappeared, and Lorccan had a good look at the inside of the incredibly large animal's reptilian mouth and the rows of jagged teeth. It threw it's heavy head in his direction, attempting to tear at him. He ducked under it's head and brought his lightsaber straight up into the underside of the reptile's thickskinned throat. It shrieked in fury and used it's powerful legs to haul itself at Lorccan. He summoned the Force and pushed the animal onto it's back before it landed on him. Before it could turn itself right side up again Lorccan Force leaped into the air and placed his saber in a postion so that the blade faced downward. The lightsaber plunged to the the soft underbelly of the furious animal as Lorccan landed lightly on the ground beside it. It let out one last cry before going still.

Lorccan sheathed his lightsaber and gave a salute to the valiant creature. He opened the door that the hssiss had clearly been guarding into an interleading chamber. Lorccan frowned. The room was covered in a pool of acid. _No going through that without having a number of limbs burnt off, _he thought wryly. _Now _that _would be a cruel anticlimax. _But the burial chamber was through the door on the other side of the pool. He was going to have to find another way around it. He backed up, retracing his steps, and took a by-corridor to the left. Maybe he would find something in there.

At the end of the short corridor was another stone door exactly the same to the others in the tomb. He sensed immense danger behind it and steeled his will. Breathing deeply, he drew his lightsaber and opened the door. As he stepped into an enormous hall, the door shut heavily behind him. Surprised, he spun around, but there was nothing there. He felt a chill run down his spine. He cautiously turned back around then his eyes narrowed as he glimpsed two hulking creatures at the other end of the dark hall. He used the Force to enhance his vision in order to discover what manner of creature he was to battle. The two animals were incredibly large with glistening skin, bipedal with massive torsos, and thick arms that hung below their waists. On hands and feet they had long, powerful looking talons. One turned around, as if suddenly realising that they weren't alone. It's face was grotesque, large and round, with massive tusks protruding from it's mandible and rows of small but sharp teeth in it's mouth. _Terentatek,_ Lorccan thought grimly.

The monstrosity focused on him, and gave a low, guttural cry. It's mate then also turned. Lorccan set his feet into a defensive stance, his crimson blade shimmering in front of him. The terentateki cried again in rage, rushing towards him with amazing speed for such an enormously bulky creature. The ground shook as their heavy feet hit the floor. The terentatek who had intially seen him reached him first, bringing it's arm back in fury, ready to smash him off his feet. Lorccan ducked and brought his lightsaber back round to connect with one of the giant's strong talons. It used it's claw to turn his saber back around, slashing him across the stomach as it did so. Lorccan cried in surprise and pain, but quickly recovered. He dodged and ducked again as the second terentatek reached him and raked it's claws across his back. Biting against the pain he rolled between them with lightning speed. He got to his feet a few metres behind them before they had time to register what had happened.

Lorccan summoned the Force to him. He levitated two metres into the air and curled into a ball, drawing and confining the energy within him. The ferocious beings turned, snarling their rage, and began their frontal assault again. When they were no more than three metres from him, he curled himself slightly tighter, and then, when his power was at it's peak, he released it, flinging his arms wide and throwing his head back, a movement which tore at the gash across his abdomen. The powerful Force wave that flung from him hit into the stunned creatures, flinging them in different directions and sending them smashing into walls.

Lorccan's feet touched the ground, and he used the Force to keep the fiery pain in his torso at bay. He then strode towards the first terentatek, which was still inexplicably stunned, spun his lightsaber in his hand, and sent it plunging into the creature's chest. It made an angry, guttural roar as it fought to stand again. Lorccan stabbed it again, and the life force left it.

Lorccan turned as a feral shriek peirced the stale air as the second furious hulk raced toward him. Holding his lightsaber to one side, he held up his free hand. The Force served him again, and bolts of lightning escaped his fingers, hitting the terentatek in it's charge. The creature's taloned hand turned into fists and it's head turned upward to shriek it's agony to a sky that was nonexistant in this dark place of death. The electricity ran up and down the dying animals massive body, creating what seemed to be a shield of blue fire around it. Finally, it collapsed. Lorccan flipped into the air, and brought his blade to bear down into the terentatek.

Panting, he deactivated his lightsaber and looked down at the dead creature. He felt a strange pang of remorse at having killed these animals. This had been _their_ domain afterall. They had simply seen him as an intruder to their territory. Then he laughed at himself. If only the other apprentices could hear what he was thinking.

He pushed his sweat drenched hair back from his face then placed an arm across his bleeding abdomen. Now that his Force strength had been depleted for now, the pain returned, strong and fiery.

He turned and limped his way to the far end of the hall where there was a door with a lever in front of it. Lorccan pulled the lever and the ancient door opened with a haunting groan. In the small room were two ancient triangular pillars covered with runes. Lorccan couldn't read the letters, but thankfully, there was a single line in Basic. It read, "Pillar of Fire". He reached into a hole in the pillar and pulled out a round object that looked much like a large red grenade. He looked at it curiously before hitching it to his equipment belt.

The second pillar was very similar. This one read, "Pillar of Ice." The pillar's "grenade" was much like the other, except that it was a pale blue colour. He was sure that these would help him get across the acid. But which one?

Lorccan exited the room and hall, and made his way painfully back to the acid room. Standing at the entrance, he wondered which grenade to use. Taking them both from his belt he held them in each hand so he could assess them subjectively.

_Fire and ice_, he thought. Which would be more likely to get him across the pool unsacthed?

He studied the red one from the Pillar of Fire. If the names of the pillars were anything to go by, the red grenade would produce fire. Fire though, would surely just react with the acid and fill the place with a noxious gas of some sort. Lorccan didn't exactly favour the idea. That would then mean that the blue grenade would produce ice.

Lorccan tossed the ice grenade once in the air, then hurled it into the acid pool. Almost immediately, the liquid froze over. He stepped lightly over to the "pool" and tested the ice's strength. Judging it sound enough to step on, Lorccan limped across and right through to the burial chamber of Marko Ragnos.

He stopped in the chamber and bowed slightly in respect for the great and powerful Sith Lord. He had died almost five thousand years ago, and yet his legacy still remained. Which was something to aspire to. Or, at least, that's what Tyranus always said.

Lorccan shook his head, breaking himself out of his reverie. Just as Tyranus had explained, there was a compartment in the sarcophogus. Lorccan reached into it and pulled out the ancient lightsaber.

Suddenly a vision came completely unbidden into Lorccan's mind. It was so real, it was if he was watching it happen in front of him, right here in this room.

Flashes, pictures. He saw a lush green field, flanked by mountains and forests and heard laughter. Sweet, happy laughter such as he had never heard before.

Then fire seemed to burn through the image, wilting the long grass and turning the sky black. The laughter turned into horrendous screams. Once again the murdered people sprang into his sight, and Ventress and Tyranus were there, mocking him.

Lorccan put a hand shakily to his throbbing temples. Just when he thought the waking dream was over, another picture came into his mind.

It was a baby, a baby with dark hair and eyes and a beautiful smile. And he heard laughter again, different from the former, but with the same calming qualities.

Then, from the depths of his vision came a soft, gentle whisper. "_Lorccan."_

"Master, I have succeeded." Lorccan held out the retrieved lightsaber ceremoniously for Dooku to take. Smiling his approval, Dooku took the offered weapon.

"You have proven yourself worthy. Kneel, Lorccan Juda." Lorccan knelt on one knee, his head bowed. The movement aggravated his wound, but he tried to ignore it. Tyrannus activated the trophy lightsaber's purple blade. He brought it down to Lorccan's left shoulder, stopping just before contact, and did the same with the right. "You have now become a full Dark Jedi. Congratulations."

Lorccan stood shakily. "Now," Tyrannus continued, "As you have now completed your trials, this lightsaber shall be your reward." he handed the black cylinder to Lorccan, who nodded in reply.

Lorccan had awaited this moment for so long. So why now, at the time his work paid off, did he suddenly feel so empty and confused?

Were the visions he experienced of a past simply forgotten, or of a future never pondered?


	2. Chapter 2

**_Academy on Korriban-2 standard hours after the trial_**

"Young Skywalker!" Tyranus bellowed as he entered the main hall, where Bastila was practising her acrobatics. She stopped, turned around to face him, and saw Lorccan behind him, clutching an arm across his stomach. She felt concern growing, but forced her expression to remain bland and emotionless. If Tyranus sensed her empathy, who knows what he would do? Kill another group of helpless prisoners to desensitise her to suffering?

"Congratulations are in order. Lorccan has just proved himself to be a full Dark Acolyte. As you shall too, when you are ready."

Bastila now looked at Lorccan in unveiled surprise. He hadn't said anything to her about there being Sith trials. Although she should've figured that out herself, she supposed. But her heart was slightly saddened by this news. He would probably be harder than ever to get through too, now that he had gone through evidently dangerous trials to prove himself.

His gaze met hers briefly, before flickering away. His expression didn't seem very triumphant. It looked more confused and strained.

But that couldn't be right. Could it?

Nevertheless, she came closer and bowed to him. "Congratulations Lorccan."

"There shall be an official announcement when all the Acolytes have assembled. Skywalker, he is wounded. Take him to the medbay and make sure no infection sets in." Nodding once again to the newly pronounced Acolyte, Dooku took his leave.

Once he had left, Bastila let her expressionless veil drop and moved closer to Lorccan, her concern clearly written on her face. "Come," she said grimly ,"let's get you to the medbay." Very reluctantly, Lorccan nodded. But when she offered to help him walk, he shook her off.

"I walked all the way here without any help, and I'll do it again."

Bastila sighed. "Alright, if you're gonna be so bullheaded about it." Glaring at her, he followed the slender Jedi, grimacing with each step.

The medbay was slightly better lit than the rest of the academy. It had two bunks and a medstation with meager supplies, and an old, broken down medical droid.

Bastila _hurumphed_, her hands on her slender hips as she assessed the crude little room. "Sure are living in the lap of luxury, aren't we?" she looked at Lorccan, and saw he was wearing an amused smile on his face. "Lucky for you, us at Jedi school learn a fair bit about first aid. Now, sit." she commanded. Lorccan did as he was told, a look of innocent surprise in his expression at her tone as he sat on the bunk. She laughed at his expression.

He stared at her. He had never heard her laugh before. It was sweet and rich like the laughter from his vision and all the anger he usually would've felt at her evaporated. She looked at him oddly, her head cocked slightly to one side.

"Lorccan, I need to see your wounds if I'm gonna be any help."

Lorccan removed his black upper tunic, wincing as pain shot through his torso. He threw the tattered and torn piece of clothing to the floor as Bastila gasped. "What did this to you?" she asked softly, coming closer with ointment and bandages.

"Terentatek." he gave a bitter laugh.

"A tera-what?"

"It's an ancient, gigantic beast. Very angry. All the time."

Bastila almost smiled. Not unlike someone else she knew, she thought wryly. "Here." she handed him a towel. "Press this to your stomach to stop the blood escaping." Most of the blood had dried, but some still managed to seep through the deep gash. Lorccan did as she said.

Bastila knelt on the bunk behind him, and began wiping the blood away from the four parallel slashes from his back as gently as she could. As she worked, she talked. "You never told me you were going to trials. What is it like?"

Lorccan paused, sucking in his breath as the ointment touched a wound, stinging violently. "Trials are held within one of the Sith Lord's tombs."

"Sith Lord's tombs? Where?"

"Out in the Valley of the Dark Lord's, a few klicks west from here."

"Oh." she replied softly. No wonder this place felt so evil. Gathering her voice again, she asked,"What else does a trial consist of?"

"I can't tell you more than that. It needs to be impromptu. The only planning is the planning that you are doing now. Lightsaber training, Force chanelling. When you undergo the trials, you mustn't know what to expect."

She leaned closer to his ear. "Do you really believe I'll be here that long?"

Lorccan laughed harshly. "Sky, you won't get out of here. Not in one peice that it is."

She wanted to protest, but knew it would be futile. She finished bandaging his back, and Lorccan looked down at himself and laughed softly. "It looks like you're preparing me for burial."

Bastila moved away from him. "Lie on your back." Lorccan looked at her, not looking like he was going to comply. She rolled her eyes. "Unless you want that wound to bleed you to death."

He glared at her. "I can deal with it. It's in reach."

She looked at him disbelievingly. "You're gonna stitch yourself closed?" She gave a wry smile. "Alright. Good luck." she stood up and looked to move out the room.

Lorccan swallowed his pride, knowing it was unlikely he would be able to stitch his own wound. "Wait."

She turned to look at him and came back to the bunk as he lay down. All her sardonic humour left her as she saw the pain deeply etched in Lorccan's face. She sat down on the side of the bunk and set to work trying not to cause him more pain, aware of how he watched her with uncharacteristically open curiosity. He obviously didn't realise that she noticed. His attention made her nervous and she tried to block it out. She didn't need trembling hands right now.

When she had finished, she used the towel to dab away the last traces of blood.

"Thank you." he said softly. She looked at him in surprise. It was the first time he had said anything like that, anything kind,and she realised something. He had changed since he came back from his trial. His expression no longer looked arrogant and hard, but seemed confused and rather bereft. Looking at him, she frowned. "You have a fever." As she got up, he pushed himself up into a sitting postion with some effort.

"I can't have a fever." he glared, though he knew that what she said was true. But this fever brought on by open wounds was nothing like the one inside him brought on by this girl. Angry at himself, he looked away.

"Well," she said as she placed a cold gel pack on his forehead, "You do." she took a clean towel and lightly dabbed the perspiration from his face.

Her touch was so gentle, he wanted to draw her into his arms and hold her. He tried to shake the urge away, but it wouldn't leave. He couldn't remember any other being ever showing him any sort of tenderness. Not that he had ever expected it. And he had never found himself longing for it. Until now.

What was happening to him? What was she _doing _to him? Was this simply one of the tricks the detestable Jedi had taught her? He set his mind on believing that, but something inside of him cried out to the opposite.

She took her hand away, her expression mildly confused. "Lorccan," she asked tentatively, "Dooku told me that you and the others...and me, I suppose, were what he called 'Dark Acolytes'. Are there anymore out there or are you, we, the only ones?"

_She's hardly a Dark Acolyte. Surely Tyranus can see that he will never turn a heart such as hers to darkness?_

"No, there are more."Lorccan answered. "We were scattered so that the Jedi wouldn't find us and annihilate us all at once, I suppose." he gave a wry grin, but Bastila noticed that his smile was pained.

"Were you friends with any of them?"

Lorccan's eyes narrowed. Why was she asking this? He searched her large, fathomless eyes, and detected no ulterior motive in them. Maybe she simply wanted to know. He almost laughed at the thought. "Acolytes are not encouraged to make friends." he replied. "We are encouraged to compete with each other. To betray each other. Builds up vengeance seeking and fuels the dark side. So you'd better start learning." he sneered bitterly. "Although...' he paused. "There was one. Years ago."

"What happened to him?"

He gave her a look that made her stomach drop. He decided he'd tell her the truth. Scare this little Jedi out her boots. "I killed him. Brutally." He should have been pleased to see a Jedi squirm in reaction, but found he wasn't proud at all when this one did.

The girls eyes widened. "Why?," was all she could say.

Lorccan shrugged, trying to seem nonchalant. "We were forced into a duel. Dooku goaded us on, until we were so angry we forgot who we were. We fought. With relish. But I was stronger, so I was the one to deal the death blow. That's the way of the Sith and the Acolytes, by the bye. The strong conquer the weak." He grinned at her evily.

Bastila thought she was going to be sick. Finding her voice she stood and said, "You need to get some rest." With that she turned and left.

Lorccan sighed and closed his eyes.

**_Jinkarna City, Toribha_**

Obiwan found Anakin on the wooden balcony of the apartment he Anakin and Ania had shared since being on the planet. He had both hands on the rail in front of him, his shoulders hunched and his face hidden. He looked up as he heard his master aproach. He turned to face him, and bowed dutifully. "Master."

"Good evening Anakin."

The tall Padawan shrugged half heartedly. "Not exactly."

Obiwan understood too well. Four days ago, they had followed a lead they had found rather conveniently on Kashyyyk to come to this Outer Rim world of Torihba. Obiwan had never heard of the planet until now. But he was finding himself rather suspicious of the trail that lead them here. It had seemed almost too obvious. But what else had they to go on?

They had only arrived on the planet a matter of hours after days of travel, before but already Torihba worried him. He could feel the dark side aura here. It made him uncomfortable to think of Bastila in such close proximity to such a place. Let alone Anakin.

The planet had only one ancient settlement called Jinkarna, for most other places were too dangerous to settle, as the planet was covered in geothermic activity. Even so, despite his misgivings, Obiwan found Torihba, with it's vast grasslands and incomprehendibly high mountains, quite beautiful. In a warped sort of way.

Obiwan sighed and moved to his frustrated Padawan's side. Neither said anything for a long while, but instead just stared out at the vast plains of this dangerously beautiful planet turned blue by the night sky, both lost in their own reveries.

"Master?" Anakin eventually asked, tentatively. "What happens if we...don't...find her?"

Obiwan grimaced, looking out over the rail once more. "I don't know, Apprentice."

Anakin shook his head, turning away in anxiety. "We have to find her. _I _have to find her. I promised my mother..."

"What did you promise her?"

Anakin closed his eyes. "That I would protect my sister. I can't let them down."

"We can't keep searching forever, Anakin." Kenobi explained in his most understanding yet logical tone. "The Council can call us back at any time for a mission."

Skywalker clenched his fists. "Then we'd better start searching harder." he turned back to Obiwan. "_I _wont give up on her." he scowled slightly.

"You aren't the only one worrying Anakin. I am, as is Master Ania. She is terribly anxious."

Anakin's face immediately lost it's hard look and turned to one of concern and self beration. "I...I am sorry. Forgive me master. Sometimes I forget that other's feel the same as I do."

Obiwan smiled. "I'm sure we all do that at times. Especially times such as these."

* * *

Ania Nors sat alone in the apartment, meditating. Her hands were clasped tightly on her lap, and her eyes were squeezed shut. _Calm. Breathe. _She felt like a new mother who had just lost her child. Grimacing, she caught herself and repeated the chant in her mind. _Calm. Breathe. There is no emotion; there is peace... _She replayed the Jedi Code and all the lessons of emotional training she had been given over the years, emptying herself of negativity and allowing calming thoughts to enter her mind.

Her thoughts were interrupted as she sensed another presence enter the small room. She turned slightly to see the troubled young Skywalker standing in the doorway, a sheepish look on his frowning face.

He bowed slightly. "Master Ania, forgive me for interrupting your meditations."

Ania stood slowly, brushed the dust off herself and shook her head. "It's alright Anakin. What's on your mind?"

"I...' he paused, then proceeded, "I just wanted to know how you are. I mean, I know you are also worrying about Bastila, so I...am sorry for being so self centered." he bowed his head.

It struck Ania that such a confident and sometimes arrogant young man could turn right around and be so humble and unsure of himself. She suspected there was much about Skywalker that she would never understand. He was almost the polar opposite of his sister. Where Bastila was dark in hair and eyes, he was fair. Where she was small and delicate, he was tall and well built. Bastila was calm and rational and hated to fight. Anakin loved the lightsaber and was often frustrated and impatient.

But despite their considerable differences, Ania saw a startling similarity between the Skywalkers. Both had an honesty about them, and a playful and loving nature. She almost shook her head in wonderment.

"Thank you for your concern Anakin. But I should really be asking about you."

"It's difficult, but I think I'm holding up ok."

Ania smiled. Anakin wasn't all that much younger than herself, so she still understood how teenagers tell little white lies to convince their elders that they are indeed alright.

* * *

Early the next morning the three Jedi set out to scout out the ancient city of Jinkarna. Alien creatures of at least a dozen races passed by them in the streets. As this was the only settlement on the entire planet it was expectedly crowded, and Anakin had to curb his annoyance at being pushed passed every two seconds.

"So,' Anakin said, hurrying to catch up with his master, shoving his way through the bustling crowds, "Where do we start?"

"Well," Obiwan replied without turning around,"We'll start at the Information Bureau. That's the most likely place, as they will probably be very tuned in to the goings on around Jinkarna."

Anakin nodded, hurrying to catch up to Obiwan and Ania. But his efforts were thwarted once again when he felt a gentle tugging at the end of his robe. Spinning around, Anakin found himself facing...nothing. He frowned, then another tug and he looked at his feet. There, standing rather sheepishly was a raggedly dressed young boy of about seven or eight, and a much younger little girl peeking out from behind her brother's back.

"Excuse me, Mister Jedi sir," The boy stammered, "We heard that Jedi were kind, and we...we were wondering if you could give us some food?

"Sure." Anakin dropped down to his haunches so that he was at eye level with the blue eyed children. Reaching into the folds of his robe he brought out his ration for the day, and handed it to the boy. "Sorry it's not much." Stammering a thank you, the boy took his dark haired sister by the hand and began to scamper away.

Anakin frowned. He felt the Force tugging at him to stop the children. Standing, he exclaimed, "Wait!"

The children turned around, their eyes wide with fear. Moving towards them Anakin said, "Don't worry. I wont hurt you." he began to pour calm feelings into the Force, trying to reassure them. Presently, Anakin felt his master's curiosity in the Force and turned to find him and Ania about a hundred metres down the crowded streets, looking at him in question. He held up a hand, then turned back to the two street children, asking them, "Do you two have a mother or father?"

"Um," the boy replied ,"We have Mama, but she's very sick. That's why I have to come and beg for food for all of us."

"She's sick?" Anakin replied, thinking of his own mother. He turned back to face the two masters, and waved them over. Speaking once again to the boy he said, "Take us to her. Maybe we can help." As Anakin set off with the children and Obiwan and Ania in tow a way behind he thought, _These children deserve to have their mother as long as possible._

**_Sith Academy, Korriban_**

The next day Lorccan was up, the Force having sped up the healing process. He shrugged on his robe and stepped somewhat gingerly out of the medbay, making his way down the corridor. His wounds obviously hadn't completely healed, and he still had a slight fever, but that wasn't going to stop him leaving that dreary old room. He passed one of the other Acolytes, the girl named Sheeba, who sneered at him on his way past.

"I hear you've had your very own little nurse maid seeing to your wounds." she mocked. "Seems to the rest of us you've got a thing for that pathetic little Jedi." she snarled again.

Lorccan could feel that heat of anger rising into his face. He had never liked Sheeba, or the rest of the apprentices at the academy, but this one always knew how to push him to the edge. Not that it took much.

The girl cocked her head to the side, her green eyes feigning innocence. "Oh, dear Lorccan. You've gone soft."  
"Watch it Sheeba." the flame was building.

"She's really getting to you isn't she?" she said, pressing the point, goading him on.

Lorccan unhitched his lightsaber, his eyes blazing. "Try it," he said dangerously. "Say it again, you pathetic little witch."

Grinning sardonically, the girl drew her own blade and it ignited at the same time as Juda's with a sharp _snap-hiss. _

"Come now. I wouldn't want to hurt a fellow student."she replied

Lorccan hated her. He had always hated her, but now he was finally going to snap.

Their sabers clashed with a spine tingling buzz. Lorccan spun out of the lock, ending up three metres away, in the dueling ring, conveniently. As Sheeba closed in, he rushed at her. She blocked his first blinding flurry and continued to goad him on. The blades clashed again, Lorccan spinning his saber away at impact and flourishing it in his hand, before bringing it into a defensive stance. The anger he had felt before was now a raging white hot hatred deep within his gut, fueling the dark side energy around him and making him feel powerful and _alive_.

He threw Force wave after wave into the girl, some of which she barely managed to block with her own Force energy. But still, she continued to push him, laughing, as if in some sadistic glee.

Screaming a battle cry, Lorccan rushed at her, bringing his lightsaber to bear down on her again and again, connecting with her crimson blade each time. Finally, she lost her balance and fell over. Even as Lorccan came at her to deliver the death blow, she never cowered. Her face simply became emotionless, opening herself up to his blade.

"Lorccan!" screamed a vaguely familiar voice he barely registered through the red hazed tunnel vision that was urging him to murder the girl in front of him. Before he could bring down his blade, Bastila was there, her own lightsaber locked with his, her voice gradually becoming clearer as the battle vision he was in began to fade and his mind to refocus.

As Lorccan's eyes finally came to rest on her, he glowered. He could kill her right now if he wished. Instead he used the Force to try and shove her aside. But his dark energy simply collided with her calm aura, putting them into a pointless stalemate.

Bastila closed her eyes briefly, gently shaking her head and lowering her blade. "No, Lorccan."

Sheeba was still on the floor where she had fell, too stunned at what Bastila had done to even make a comment.

Lorccan opened his mouth to speak, but felt the flame inside him simmering down. So instead, he grunted in anger, spun on his heel and stalked out the room. It was only now, that the dark side energy inside him was dissipating, that he realised he had reopened his wounds in the battle.

Bastila turned to look at the older girl on the ground. "Are you alright?" she asked gently, holding out a hand. Sheeba's expression went from stunned to angry. Refusing Bastila's hand, she stood, brushing the dust off her robe, and glared.

"Why did you do that?" she asked dangerously.

It was Bastila's turn to be confused. "He was going to kill you."

Rolling her eyes in annoyance, Sheeba sauntered away, flicking her hand in Bastila's direction as if dismissing her. Watching her leave, Bastila sighed, realisation dawning on her.

She turned and followed Lorccan, guessing where he went. Sure enough, she found him in the medbay, looking completely exhausted as he lay on the bunk.

"Opened your wounds again?" she enquired softly. He gave her a harsh look.

"Barely. They'll heal by themselves."

Bastila came to sit on the stool beside the bunk. She opened her mouth to speak, but Lorccan raised his hand.

"I know what you're going to say Skywalker. But that girl is a little conniving witch. She goaded me into that fight, probably to prove herself to the others." he shrugged.

"She wanted you to kill her." Lorccan looked at her in surprise. "You didn't notice?" Bastila continued. "She barely tried to defend herself at all. At the end, she could've easily rolled away, but she chose to stay and await her death blow. Lorccan," she said taking his hand. He surprised her by not pulling away. "She is in pain. As much as you are. She wants to _die_. That's a terrible kind of desperation."

Lorccan knew all too well. He had tried to take his own life more than once. He looked down at their hands entwined and closed his eyes. It was as if cool water flowed from her fingers into his blood, smothering the last burning embers of rage in his gut. Peace? No sooner had he thought it, the old Sith mantra shoved it's way back into his mind. _Peace is a lie; there is only passion._

He let go of her hand as if it was covered in poison. And perhaps it was. He didn't trust himself to open his eyes to look at her, lest he fall into that trap again.

"Go. Please."

He could almost feel the emptiness she left in her wake.

**_Home of Marie Gasa, Jinkarna City, Toribha_**

Anakin, Ania and Obiwan followed the two young children to an inconspicuous hovel that reminded Anakin much of his old home on Tatooine. The boy, Jaser, opened the door and ran through to another room of the cramped house. His little sister Janie looked up at the Jedi and put a finger to her lips, motioning for quiet with such a serious look on her round face that the Jedi all had to stifle their smiles. Jaser came back not long after. "You can come in now. Mama's awake."

Ania volunteered to stay behind in the main room with Janie, saying that a sick woman didn't need or want an overcrowded room.

Obiwan led the way into the woman's room, Anakin close behind.

Inside, a thin woman with long mouse brown hair covered in cheap blankets out of place in such a hot planet, smiled weakly at her visitors.

"Masters Jedi. Welcome." she said meekly. "Come, sit."

Anakin and Obiwan sat on the stools clearly made for the woman's children next to the bed.

The woman lifted a thin arm to shake hands with the Jedi. "I'm Marie Gasa. My children told me you can help me."

"We can try." Obiwan replied. "First, tell us, what happened to you?"

Marie sighed, looking up towards the ceiling. "Five days ago, I went out with my husband into the Jaroedia plains. He wanted to show me where he hunted the _cali'smar. _But me being me, I decided that I wanted to explore further, beyond where my husband hunts. He agreed as he always wanted to make me happy." She stopped, thinking, before continuing. "We stopped when I spotted stone ruins in the distance. Well, they looked like ruins. The air then became charged as if there was some sort of severe electrical storm taking place on the ground. We saw dark figures in the distance, and they approaching with unnatural speed. It was if they were racing each other to see who would get to us first. My husband quickly began to turn the landspeeder around." her eyes filled with tears of sadness. "But he wasn't fast enough. The first figure; he was clothed all in black, with a hooded cape, lifted his hand. He was like a Jedi, but intent on killing us." she stopped.

"Go on." Obiwan encouraged.

She swallowed. "I...I think he summoned lightning, as absurd as that sounds. It hit my husband, and he died instantly." her voice broke.

Obiwan closed his eyes. "I'm terribly sorry."

Marie shook her head. "Not your fault. As I increased the landspeeder's speed, I felt as if life was being literally sucked out of me. I had to place the speeder on auto pilot, else I would never have made it home again." She shrugged. "I've been like this ever since."

Anakin and Obiwan looked at each other. "This sounds alot like something Ventress would do." Anakin snarled.

"Where did this happen?" Obiwan asked the frail woman.

"About fifty klicks South from Jinkarna." she replied.

Obiwan thanked her. "I'm going to try and help you, alright?"

Marie Gasa nodded. Obiwan took her hand and closed his eyes, willing his Force energy into her to speed up her healing. As Anakin watched, he saw colour come to the woman's pale face. When it was finished, she thanked them, wishing them well.

As the three Jedi left, Anakin said, "It's time to show Ventress what's what."

* * *

**_Academy-Korriban_**

Lorccan Juda finished his dueling practice with Tyrannus, and once he was dismissed, hurried down the North corridor. After fifteen standard minutes of weaving through the ancient crypts and corridors, he came to a narrow flight of stairs. He took the steps calmly, although he was feeling quite desperate to reach his destination. The room at the top of the flight was filled with so much natural light, it took his eyes a second to adjust after being stuck in the darkness for so long. As his eyes focused, he realised he was not alone. The girl standing at the view window turned her head calmly toward him, as if she had expected him.

"Skywalker." Lorccan growled. Great. "How did you find this place?"

"I don't really know," Bastila replied, turning her head back to face the light. The ancient window looked out across the massive expanse of desert that was Korriban. "I just couldn't stand the darkness anymore."

She looked at him as he moved closer, a strange expression in her eyes. Now that the sunlight was hitting her face, her hair shifted between black and a deep shimmering brown. "You seek the light." she stated simply.

Lorccan could see where this was going. "Well," he replied, gazing out at the desert, "It's not really healthy to be without ultra violet radiation. Bad for the bones."

Bastila looked up at him again and realised she saw a sparkle of amusement in his eye. She allowed herself a small smile.

"But really, Sky, you've kind of stolen my spot." Juda stated dryly.

"_Your_ spot? None of the others know about it?"

"No. At least, I don't think so. This is my thinking spot. It's worlds better than that ruddy meditation chamber."

Bastila was almost taken aback at the easy going way he was speaking to her. Maybe the light did do good for him.

She smiled. "Korriban doesn't look all that different from my homeworld, Tatooine. Except of course, there aren't many mountains or jagged rocks and Sith burial valleys and what not."

"So," Lorccan replied, "Pretty much the only similarity is the desert?"

Bastila grinned.

"When did you leave Tatooine? I thought the Jedi stole their students before they could talk."

"Jedi do not _steal_ students. Parents offer them. My brother Anakin and I were discovered late by the Jedi. We left our mother behind." Bastila replied.

Lorccan remained silent. He had not had another vision since that day in the tomb, but he was convinced it held answers to the life he forgot. He sat down heavily on the bench and held his head in his hands. "I hate this place." he mumbled.

Bastila sat down beside him. "You don't have to stay, you know. You can leave." she said softly.

Lorccan grunted. "And how do you suppose I'll do that? Catch the next passenger ship to Coruscant and become a senator?"

"No. Become a Jedi."

He pulled back and looked at her as if she had sprouted horns and scales. Him, Lorccan Juda, become a _Jedi?_ The absurdity of the notion almost made him laugh. "Sky, _you're_ not even going to go back and be a Jedi. No one will find you here. You are an Acolyte now, whether you like it or not, so you might as well get used to it."

Bastila sighed. "I wish you wouldn't be so defeatist. I am a Jedi, Lorccan. And you are not a Dark one. Surely you can see that."

* * *

Bastila met with Count Dooku in the largest training room and found him kneeling in meditation.

She stood, her hands clasped in front of her, patiently waiting. Finally, the Dark Lord opened his eyes and stood. "Do you understand what you will be learning this day?" he enquired.

Bastila nodded. "In the Force." she stopped herself from flinching at the fact that it would be _dark_ Force training.

"Do you know of the technique Force lightning?"

Bastila frowned, trying to remember. Force lightning._ That must be what Ventress used against the prisoners. _She shuddered at the memory.

"Good." Tyrannus said. "You will learn."

So Tyrannus taught Bastila the technique of one of the more frighteningly dangerous dark arts. He told her to concentrate all energy and anger into her fingers and focus.

"Anger. Skywalker, anger! That is what gives you strength and power!" Dooku berated.

Bastila gritted her teeth, sweat beginning to build at her temples. She had to obey. She gathered the Force energy within herself, sending it toward her outstretched arms. It started as a fiery burn in her fingertips, then before she could catch her breath, a ball of lightning flew from her. She gasped at the effort, her arms falling back to her sides.

"Better, Skywalker! The pain will subside with practice, and you will learn to keep a consistant energy."

For the next half hour, Bastila tried and tried again. She felt like she was burning up, and her hands had gone red, but finally the energy became long forks of lightning instead of electric balls.

After she was dismissed, Bastila dragged herself from the room, in pain, but soon that seemed to subside as another thought came to her. Although she was hurting everywhere, she couldn't deny the fact that the power had felt good. She could almost see how Jedi fell to such a promise of power.

Almost.

Bastila found Lorccan in the meditation chamber, his forearms resting on his pulled up knees and his chin held between his thumb and forefinger. Sitting down beside him, she studied the troubled and unfocused look in his eyes while he stared at the floor as if waiting for it to reply to a question.

"What's troubling you?" she asked quietly.

He didn't answer for a long while. Then, he turned his face slightly and regarded her out of the corner of his eyes. His face suddenly assumed the expression she was getting so used to...and very irritated by. Glaring, he bit out,"Why would you care?" he stood abruptly. He stood above her, arms akimbo. "Why should a_ Jedi_, possibly care what's troubling _me?"_

Bastila's own ire almost got the better of her before she glimpsed the slight uncertainty that flashed in Lorccan's eyes before turning into his ultimate defense.

Taking a deep breath, she stood evenly. "Why shouldn't I?" she countered, keeping her voice low. She would _not_ give in to his angry defenses.

He laughed harshly, throwing his hands up in the air and turning away from her. "Jedi. You Jedi are all conniving, scheming _schutta_, who enjoy nothing more than to get into people's heads. _Pretend_ you're just the innocent do-gooder Jedi, while trying to screw up everything!" He laid both hands on the counter and bent over, shaking his head. _Why? What am I doing? She's been nothing but kind and honest! _

_Or has she?_

Lorccan spat a foul phrase._ I will _not_ fall prey to the Jedi's plans. _He looked back across his shoulder and found her standing there where she was, a look of concern and confusion crossing her pretty face. Concern for him. Confusion _at _him. When her eyes locked with his, he quickly turned his head back around, the heat pouring into his face. He slammed his fist down onto the surface. _Damn it! What's happening to me? _

"Lorccan?" her voice indicated she was closer to him now. Before he could figure out what he was doing, he opened his mouth and words poured forth.

"My family. My mother, my father. I was trying to remember them. To see their faces. To hear their voices. I need to now if what Dooku told me is true. I need...' he paused, hands balling into fists on the countertop. Grimacing, he spun to face her. "And _that _is why I don't need you near me! I don't need you talking to me. You're making me question everything I've ever known! But that's the Jedi expertise, isn't it? To mess up the minds of everyone you come into contact with?"

As Bastila listened to his barrage, her previous flecks of anger evaporated completely. He was confused. Wouldn't she be as well? He was questioning everything he'd been taught and told. It must be daunting indeed. She couldn't imagine it and felt her heart fill with warmth for this troubled soul. She remembered her brother pacing, his questions and uncertainty eating him.

How was Lorccan any different?

Moving closer, she reached out and put a hand on his shoulder. He looked at it strangely, then jerked his shoulder away. Frowning, Bastila lowered her hand to her side. "Lorccan, I'm not here to hurt you, or mess with your mind. Remember it was _Dooku's _plan to kidnap me and bring me here. This is no Jedi scheme." Bastila cocked her head to one side and a thoughtful expression crossed her face. Lorccan looked at her oddly.

"What?"he asked uncertaintly.

"You know what you need to do?"

Lorccan cocked his brow. "No, but I'm absolutely _dying _to hear." he replied dryly.

"You need to smile more."

He gave hear an ice cold grin.

She rolled her eyes. "That's _not _what I meant, and you know it. Smile, you know, like when you're having fun?"

His sardonic grin widened even further. "This _is _my smile for when I'm having fun."

Bastila looked into his cold eyes and shuddered. She doubted hers and his definitions of _fun_ were anything alike. Lorccan could see that he had made her squirm. Yes, he had once found it a sort of sadistic fun to torment the victims he was about to kill. That's what Tyranus had taught, and that's what he did. With _relish. _But lately, the crimes he had committed haunted him, and the _fun _he once had, was now sickening for him to even think about. But might as well see where this Jedi's strengths and weakness lay when faced with his innuendo's of death and suffering. If she ended up turning on him, at least then he would have some sort of advantage over her.

He had expected her to turn and flee the room, but instead her expression changed, turning once more to that look of compassion that he so despised...and that he so needed.

"Stop looking at me like that!"

"Like what?"

"Like you feel sorry for _me!_ I don't need your pity!"

Bastila's eyes flashed. "Would you rather I looked at you with hatred and resentment for what you are?"

"_Yes."_ Lorccan hissed. Looking into her dark, openly confused eyes, he felt himself soften and impulsively cupped her face in his hands. Her eyes went wide and she pulled back slightly. Lorccan dropped his hands and a confounded expression crossed his face.

Stepping back slightly, Bastila spoke. "Hatred isn't all that you know." She gently put a hand on his shoulder. "May you find peace, Lorccan."

_Peace? _He found himself needing it so badly, and she seemed to know that. What if the hatefully tender feelings he had for her was the source of peace? But could it really be that simple? He shook his head, not sure if he wanted to believe it. Dark teachings rose to the fore of his mind.

As Bastila turned to leave, Lorccan grabbed her wrist, spinning her roughly back to face him.

Staring daggers, he whispered with dangerous softness the old Sith maxim. _"Peace is a lie..."_

* * *

Darth Tyranus stood in the dueling hall, waiting for his pupils to all assemble. With the Acolytes filing into the huge room, Dooku spotted Bastila Skywalker, looking mildly intimidated by the twenty odd Dark "Jedi" crowding her from all sides. Tyranus observed Bastila meet eyes with the newest accomplished Acolyte, Juda, with a questioning expression. _Ah,_ Tyranus thought with a smirk, _so little Skywalker has grown "attatched" to Juda._ This would work to his advantage. The duel years ago that Dooku had ordered between Juda and his friend had broken Lorccan, and turned him fully to the Dark Side. Although this duel would not be to the death, it would still serve to continue Skywalker down the dark path, after she would be betrayed by Lorccan.

Bastila Skywalker stood in the dueling hall with the rest of the Acolytes, listening to Tyranus's booming voice reiterate the rules of dueling. Do not wound to kill, and no Force attacks. This was a test of a Acolytes swordfighting abilities, not Force adeptness. First contact would win. Bastila stood in the midst of them, feeling, thankfully, invisible, but still intimidated by some of the more frightening apprentices. She looked around to see if she could spot Lorccan, her only..._friend_? Were they friends? Could she call him that? _Well, _she thought,_ that is probably the easiest term to classify us as._

Finally she spotted him, tall, dark, his face expressionless as he waited for the dueling to begin. Bastila brought her head back to face the front again when Dooku called out Lorccan. She turned back to the latter and watched him nod and make his way into the dueling ring. It wasn't long before another name rang through the hall. Hisakken, a name belonging to a fierce and imposing green skinned Twi'lek with nasty looking tatooes spiraling down his lekku. Sneering, he went to stand at the opposite end of the ring to Lorccan. The two stood facing each other, feet apart, readying themselves to duel.

Finally, Tyranus' voice boomed the command to fight.

Hisakken charged at Juda, his red blade hissing through the air. Lorccan ignited his blade and stood ready in defensive position. The Twi'lek brought his lightsaber down to clash with Lorccan's own and the blades collided with a buzz. Juda pushed his saber up and around, twisting out of the Twi'lek's lock and pushing Hisakken's blade away. He then lifted his right foot and sent a powerful kick right into the Twi'lek's rib, and the latter doubled briefly, springing back to re-evaluate his strategy.

Lorccan then took the offensive, following Hisakken and raising his blade in a powerful charge position, before feinting and sending it the Twi'lek's side instead of his front.

Hisakken fell for the folly, and he grimaced as Juda's blade dug a gash in his upper thigh. Bastila heard Dooku announce Lorccan as the victor, and jumped a second later when she heard her own name called.

"Bastila Skywalker will duel the victor, Lorccan Juda. Let us see if our newest recruit can handle a battle with our newest graduated Acolyte!"

Dooku's eyes then met hers and she could sense the challenge in them. She took a deep breath before making her way into the ring. _Why must _he_ be the one I fight?_ Crossing the circle, she glanced at her opponent, and saw his eyes followed her with an unreadable expression.

Lorccan closed his eyes, hoping the other Acolytes couldn't sense his thoughts. _How am I going to fight her? _He couldn't show any weakness in mind, body or spirit in front of the Acolytes. _But, _he reasoned with himself,_ she is...well, was, a Jedi, so she will be more than capable with a saber._ Keeping that thought at the fore of his mind, Lorccan steeled his resolve, raised his head, pasting a challenging expression on his face and igniting his crimson blade with a _snap-hiss._

He took five long strides over to Bastila, who ignited her blade at the last second to catch his blade in a lock. Bastila's face didn't betray any hint of emotion as she spun out of the lock. Lorccan pivoted to face her bringing his lightsaber in a long side slash, which she spun and blocked before flipping over the swords, breaking contact. The two continued in this fashion for what seemed like hours. After parrying for a minute with Skywalker, Lorccan feinted a sidestep, his blade following. As Bastila brought her saber down in preparation to block, he deactivated the blade, and Bastila hit nothing but air. Throwing his lightsaber to his left hand, Juda ignited it and knicked Bastila's right shoulder.

Watching, Dooku smirked. He raised his hand. "Again, Lorccan Juda is our victor..."

Tyranus kept talking, but Bastila didn't hear him. She just walked back into the bitter crowd. Her shoulder wound hurt, but not as much as the sting of betrayal she had felt inside. She knew that they had to fight, but during the duel his eyes had looked on her as though she was just another enemy to battle. So maybe they weren't friends after all.

* * *

An hour later, the Acolytes left the chamber, Bastila and Lorccan with them. Bastila broke off from the group as quickly as she could, hurrying to her own quarters. Lorccan saw her go. "Ah, man." he growled. Once he was sure none of the Acolytes saw him, he started off after her, cursing under his breath as he went. He didn't really know why he was doing this. After all, why should he care? But deep down, he knew. This Jedi was getting to him, as she carried the hope of meaning wherever she went. He knew she was changing him, but he didn't quite know yet how he felt about that. He picked up his pace and stopped outside her quarters, before taking a deep breath and gingerly opening the heavy door.

Bastila was sitting cross legged on the cold, hard stone floor, deep in meditation and jumped when she sensed Lorccan's presence. She stood and turned to face him as he shut the door behind him.

"Bastila," Lorccan began.

Wait. Was he feeling _nervous_? He almost laughed at himself. Her eyes met his expectantly. "Look", he said, stepping closer,"if I hadn't followed through with that duel...I..."

"It's fine Lorccan. The way you looked at me like I was just another battle, cleared up everything. You're an Acolyte and that's how you operate. Nothing or anyone means anything to you. In the end, with you, _everything_ has to be a battle."

Lorccan knew it was true, at least partly, but still his eyes flashed as he looked down onto the girl in front of him. "Then why do you think I'm here now? Why do think I'm here to try to explain myself...to a _Jedi_?"

Bastila's eyes softened, but still held an air of confusion. "Why _are_ you here, Lorccan?" she asked. Lorccan blinked, taken aback.

"I...I don't know. I was trying to figure that out on the way here." he stopped and frowning, shook his head. "You know, I shouldn't be here." He wasn't looking at her, but Bastila saw his eyes soften.

Lorccan found that he no longer believed that Bastila meant any harm. He was starting to trust her. _Trust_ wasn't an emotion he was conditioned to feeling. He wasn't acting like an Acolyte. No, he was acting like a blasted _Jedi_, coming to ask for forgiveness.

He looked into her dark eyes, which seemed relieved but even more confused than they were before. Lorccan shook his head and turned to leave.

Bastila didn't need the Force to sense the conflict within him, and her heart softened once again. This hard, fierce Dark Acolyte, actually humbling himself and coming and being contrite? She felt her heart swell with forgiveness and pride for him.

"Lorccan."

He stopped, and turned one shoulder to face her. Before Bastila knew what she was doing, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around the startled Lorccan in a hug. To her surprise, Lorccan didn't pull away, apart from being mildly shocked. After he collected his thoughts a moment later, she felt his own arms reluctantly encricle her waist, returning her embrace.

"You are a good person, Lorccan." she whispered into his chest.

He removed his arms from her waist and put his hands on her shoulders, pushing her away. He turned his head to the side staring blankly into the corner of the room and moved his head in a barely perceptable shake. Bastila half expected him to glare daggers at her and stalk angrily out of the room like the Lorccan she knew, but once again, he surprised her.

Without looking at her, he spoke in a soft monotone.

"You don't know what I've done."

* * *

Lorccan lay on his bunk that night, unable to sleep. He had acted so strange today, he almost wondered whether some other spirit had commendered his body. It was just so _unlike_ him.

_I want to trust her. I want so desperately to trust her._

He bit his lip in uncertainty. He sat up in his bunk and hunched over, head in hands.

Was he...falling for her? He had heard some locals on the planets he had visited use that phrase before. _Falling for her._

Though he couldn't be entirely sure why.

Of course, nothing could really hide the fact that she was exquisitly beautiful. With smooth pale skin contrasting her black hair, large brown eyes framed by thick lashes, and well-formed cheekbones, it didn't take a beauty scout to notice her. But Lorccan found that it wasn't that that drew him to her. If anything, it had been one of the factors that had made him distrust her so much, for he had observed and learned that often great beauty was used as a tool to hide great evil.

But he detected not one hint of evil, and he was well enough aquainted with it to know. Humility and compassion radiated from her, a trait he found himself drawn to more each day.

It was as if she had taken a pick, chiseling away his anger, his hatred and he found himself thinking of her more often each day. She was beginning to invade his every thought, and that knowledge made him want to envelope her in his arms and shove her away at the same time. To love her and hate her, hurt her and hold her.

What did she feel when she looked at him? Did she see him simply as a poor orphan boy to be pitied? The thought angered him. The last thing he needed was pity, especially from _her._

"I hate it here." he whispered to himself. He wanted, he _needed_ to leave, to be free from this place, free from his pain, free from his memories.

And free from a young Jedi who starting to fill his very being.

_He stood on a grassy hillock, gazing down into a shallow valley surrounded on one side by forests and the other by ocean. The warm sun beat upon his back, and he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end as the beautifully haunting song, that he had once so vaguely remembered, fill his ears._

_He turned his head slowly toward the ocean. His eyes locked onto a school of strange, yet beautiful aquatic animals, and knew the song came from them. _

_Where am I?_

_He snapped his head back around as he heard the sweet laughter again. _

_Not far from where he stood, a beautiful woman with impossibly long blonde hair and wearing a simple white dress was laughing gaily._

_Lorccan felt his heart catch in his throat in half panicked recognition._

_Mother. Dear Mother, I'm here! I'm sorry!_

_She didn't seem to hear him. She was looking behind her, smiling at something beyond his line of sight. Then appeared a man, tall, dark, a small child running to catch up to him._

_The man laughed. "Tell your brother and sister to hurry up, Lorccan!" the man then bent down, swinging the boy into the air and up upon his shoulders._

_The heat against Lorccan's back changed from pleasant to fiery with stunning ubruptness. He turned around to see the red haze of fire rushing towards him. Crying out, he dived to the ground, and heard the laughter in the valley turn to the screams he remembered from his waking dream in the tomb. He frantically spun around..._

* * *

...And found himself back once again standing in a cold, stone room. Shaking, the heat upon him still like fire, he fell back heavily onto his bunk. He raked his hand back through his hair.

_They didn't abandon me_. _Why, only now am I remembering? All that time..._

But in truth, he knew. And it was all his fault. He had never seen reason to seek for the truth as he believed he already knew it. Such arrogance.

_Such that is in an Acolyte._ He laughed mockingly at himself. It had taken a small comment from a strange little Jedi to finally open his eyes and make him question.

Were his family all dead? If so, then why had he been spared? So he could become a tool of destruction and death for a twisted old man?

He got up ubruptly and left his room, desperate to shake the feelings inside of him. But no matter how hard he tried, the revelation that he actually had a _family_ would not leave his thoughts. So he wandered aimlessly through the labyrinth of passages, stairwells and halls, not really knowing where he was going, his thoughts lightyears away.

Presently, he felt a familiar presence close by that snapped him out of his morbid reverie. Looking around he noticed with a start that he had never been to this area of the academy before.

Peering around a dark corner, Lorccan felt his jaw clench as his eyes locked on to a familiar form, kneeling and facing one of the passage walls. It seemed she was talking to someone.

Cloaking his Force-presence as much as he could, he watched as she reached into the folds of her robe, pulling out a small food box.

It was then that Lorccan noticed the myriad other presences in the area. But they were so faint and fading as to be nearly non existent.

Tilting his head to a different angle, he now saw instead of stone walls, old fashioned jail bars, such as one would see in a dungeon.

The kneeling form opened the food box, and took out a portion of it's contents, handing it the the figure behind the bars. She then smiled kindly, whispering soft words of encouragement to the detainee.

Lorccan was astounded. Tyranus had expressly said over the years that the prisoners were not to be sought out or spoken to. And her was little Bastila Skywalker, giving her only food ration to emaciated beings near-death anyway!

He knew what Tyranus would do when he found out. His fear for her swiftly turned to anger.

He grit his teeth.

Storming out from behind the corner, Lorccan addressed the girl. "Bastila!"

The figure jumped to her feet, surprise emanating from her being.

Surprise and fear.

Lorccan marched over to her, ignoring the frightened look in her eyes. He grabbed her roughly by the shoulder and steered, or rather, shoved her back down the corridor, away from the prisoners.

When he finally stopped his swift pace, he spun Bastila round in front to face him. Her large eyes were gazing up at him in question and fear.

"Damn it Bastila!" he growled. "You _know_ it's forbidden to so much as _look _at the prisoners! How long have you been going to them?" His grip on her shoulder tightened.

She bit her lip. "For the last week, when I found them. They needed food."

He laughed mirthlessly, shaking his head. "And so you give them yours! Do you have any idea what Tyranus would do if he found out?"

Bastila lowered her head and stammered softly. "I couldn't just ignore them, Lorccan."

Lorccan let go of her roughly. "You Jedi make no sense."

"Why not? Because we care?"

Lorccan stopped, looking down at Bastila's now calm face, his anger lost in confusion. "Well...but, you would be tortured if found out. You know that."

"But Lorccan, I'm a Jedi. I know how to survive pain. They don't. They are hungry, thirsty, wounded and helpless. I'm not."

She spoke with such soft conviction, Lorccan felt himself soften and smiled lop-sidedly.

"You really are a strange little Jedi."

Bastila put her hands on her hips playfully and smiled back at him. "Not nearly as strange as you, Lorccan Juda."


	3. Chapter 3

Bastila Skywalker felt dread form like bile in her mouth, and she began to feel the beginnings of a splitting headache worm it's way into her senses.

She stood in the great hall with Darth Tyranus, clenching and unclenching her fists at her sides in worry, as the familiar sound of incoming footsteps and chains came rattling from down the east corridor.

Dooku looked at her thoughtfully. "You are afraid."

Looking back at him, she replied, "No", but knew that her tone said otherwise.

The Dark Lord smiled, before turning his head back to wait for the prisoners to enter. Bastila's heart pounded, for she knew what she would have to do. Tyranus had already told her.

Three beings entered, one middle aged human man, a Bith and a Bothan. Bastila closed her eyes. _No_.

As Tyranus began to speak, he strode closer to her, "Acolyte Yoraeden reported hearing you and Juda speaking of the prisoners, and your interactions with them. When you were brought here, I warned you that there would be punishment for any interaction at _all_ with them."

Bastila tried her best to hide her giant swallow.

Once again, she watched a group of helpless victims lined up against a wall, awaiting their deaths with pathetic acceptance. Would she really need to be the one to deliver it to them?

"Now, Bastila" Tyranus continued, "you have a choice."

She closed her eyes again. She knew there wouldn't be much of a 'choice'. This was just another game, one used to twist and turn her mind until she no longer knew right from wrong.

"Choose the punishment. Caste all your blame onto the prisoners and kill them, while you walk away without a scratch, and no punishment, or go to the interrogation chamber for the next thirty hours."

Interrogation room. That was where Bastila stayed when she first arrived and spent three days under almost endless torture. She could still almost feel the pain and burning of the lightning in her veins after all this time. Her heart pounded. But she knew she would be able to stand it.

She hoped.

She raised her chin slightly, trying unsuccessfully to feign nonchalance.

"Very well." Dooku said. "Interrogation chamber then." With that, he turned and gripped the Bothan in a Force-choke, throwing her against the wall with the sickening sound of broken bone.

Bastila lurched forward a step in shock. Of course, she knew she should've seen it coming. She shook her head and closed her eyes, willing all thought to leave her.

And then she shut down.

************************************************************************

Bastila tried her best not to scream, but scream she did. Loudly, as much as it shamed her.

After about ten hours, she was no longer certain that her mind or body was cut out for this. At fifteen hours, the crackling energy left her body, limp, on the table. Dooku left, but he set a timer for the lightning to start again after twenty minutes for another fifteen hours.

She lay there, barely able to move, yet unable to sleep. Her mind screamed in frustration.

Presently, she heard the sound of the heavy stone door opening, then felt a familiar presence enter the room.

Lorccan strode over to her, anger, fear, frustration, and something else she couldn't quite define emanating from his Force-presence.

She smiled lazily. "Lorccan." she wasn't sure if he'd heard her soft greeting because he was just looking at her with an indefinable (concerned perhaps?) expression saying over and over again,

"I told you there would be punishment, you stupid girl. Why didn't you just kill the prisoners, and spare yourself this torture? They are near death anyway!" he shook his head, "Oh, Bastila you're stupid, you're so stupid!"

She smiled up at him. "I'll be ok, Lorccan." she said softly.

He frowned suddenly, then jumped to his feet, going to the restraining cuffs.

Bastila saw his intention and gave him a gentle tug through the Force.

"What?" he asked irritably.

"You can't free me, Lorccan. I must stay here."

"I have to try!"

"Where would I go, Lorccan? Not to mention Dooku will throw you in here too next time. Just let it lie. I'm a Jedi remember? I'll be alright."

Lorccan shook his head. "Bastila, I can sense how you have weakened since your last time here. Probably because you give all your food to the death sentenced!" he caste her a pleading look, then sat down next to her again."What if you die?" he asked huskily.

Bastila sighed, though touched by his concern. "I'll be fine my friend. I survived three _days_ before, and that which does not kill me makes me stronger remember?"

Lorccan opened his mouth to speak, then shut it again.

"Go."

************************************************************************

After he left, Bastila lay, knowing that she had lied, that she may not survive this on her own in her already weakened state.

Suddenly, she felt a dear and familiar presence brush the corners of her mind. _Anakin? Is that you?_ Although she knew that he would only receive the sentiment of the message and not the exact words from so far away, it still comforted her.

Bastila felt reassurence, concern and curiosity flood back from her brother.

_Ani. Ani, I need help._

Understanding and concern filled their Force-bond. Bastila felt her brother sharing his strength with her, helping to hold some of her burden, and she felt the pain begin to ease.

Sending a silent _thank-you_ to him, Bastila felt her head loll to the side and her eyes close.

Smiling softly, she finally felt the welcome embrace of sleep.

****************************************************************************

_Jaroedia Plains, Toribha_

Anakin Skywalker opened his eyes as he felt his sister's presence slowly disappear, and he hoped she was sleeping. He had felt great pain flowing from her and had done his best to help carry it.

But he still didn't know where she was. But he was about to find out. He was sure of it.

"Anakin!" Obiwan called over the roar of the landspeeder's engine and the wind rushing past them. _"Anakin!"_

Anakin turned his head to look at his master while trying to steer the rapidly accelerating transport. "What?" he yelled back.

"Don't you think where going a little fast?" Obiwan asked, blinking as something flew into his eye. "Why did I ever let you pilot?"

Allowing himself a grin at his master's nervousness, Anakin called over his shoulder, "I've never once crashed us!"

Anakin thought he heard a grumble from the backseat, "Not yet, anyway!"

"Well you should learn to trust me, Master!"

"How can I?" came the indignant reply. "You don't seem to be paying much attention to the ground. Or that boulder you nearly drove us into back there!"

Anakin grinned again. He could feel Ania Nors' presence behind him, serious as ever, nervous, and just a little bit ill.

Before long, a dark shape arose by the horizon and Anakin pulled the speeder to a stop. Turning in his seat, he regarded the two Jedi in the back seat with mild amusement. Obiwan was looking at him and shaking his head in mock exasperation.

Ania was sitting, back rigid, hand grasping the edge of the speeder, eyes fixated straight ahead, much of the colour gone from her normally red cheeks.

"You alright, Master Nors?" Anakin asked. "You look a little bit dazed."

The Jedi wrenched her eyes to look at him. "I am quite alright, Anakin, thank you. I just thought that I should take this oppurtunity to thank the powers that be for my life."

Knowing she meant it as a joke, at least mostly, Anakin grinned.

Obiwan hopped out of the vehicle, and stood gazing out into the distnace, fists balled on hips, a thoughtful frown on his face.

Sobering, Anakin joined him, followed closely by the quiet Togruta.

"You think that's the place?" he asked.

Obiwan nodded. "Can you not feel the Force getting darker the closer we get to that shape?"

His padawan frowned. Now that he thought about it, he _had_ felt a subtle change in the atmosphere.

Moving foreward slightly, Ania added, "I have." She looked at the two men beside her. "I think we'd better prepare ourselves."

*******************************************************************************

_Ancient Sith Academy, Old Dreshdae Region, Korriban_

Lorccan went in search of Bastila the next day after his dark Force training with Dooku. He reached out, feeling for her presence. As he walked, he chuckled mirthlessly at himself. _What am I doing?_ Why was he looking for her?

As he passed by Sheeba's quarters, his Force enhanced hearing caught snatches of conversation. He cloaked his Force-presence and peered curiously through the tiny crack in the heavy stone door, and almost took a step back, he was so startled.

There was Bastila, again in the place he least expected to find her, sitting and talking with Sheeba. Not yelling, not arguing, not fighting, but _talking_.

And stranger still, Sheeba seemed to be _listening_. Lorccan found himself studying her more closely. Throughout the years he had known her, the only expression he had ever seen on her face was one of anger and contorted rage. But now, her expression was relaxed, as she listened to the Jedi speak.

Without warning, the girl's red head shot up sharply, and her face changed as she sensed Lorccan. Bastila did too.

She stood quickly, gently laying a hand on Sheeba's arm to calm her down.

Then she briskly made her way out of the room, to face Lorccan standing outside.

For the moment, Lorccan stifled his curiosity as they walked. "You are alright from your torture?" he asked, noting the slightly laboured way she moved.

"I used a Jedi healing trance to speed my recovery. I will be fine after another night's sleep."

The silence between them grew, heavy and uncomfortable. Finally, Juda could take it no longer. He grasped Bastila's shoulder to stop her pace, as they entered an old, unused chamber.

"What were you doing talking to Sheeba?" he asked.

Bastila spoke calmly. "Comforting her. Being a friend to her. Giving her hope that this nightmarish existence she's lived in is not what life is."

"And she _listens _to that? Don't bother with her Bastila."

Suddenly, Skywalker turned on him, her dark eyes flashing in an uncharacteristic display of anger. "And who are _you_ to say, Lorccan Juda? You constantly see the worst in people. You wont allow yourself to see the good!"

Lorccan drew back, startled. Bastila's eyes softened at the uncertainty of his, but she carried on, more gently this time. "Lorccan, I have spoken with her often over the last few months. She's my friend, and I care about her, and I care about her pains and worries and regrets." Her voice became almost a whisper. "Just as I care for _yours."_

His heart took a startled leap at her words. There was a time when he would've laughed at himself for it, but right now, he didn't care. All he could see right this moment were her eyes, dark and mysterious, beseeching him to understand.

Without thinking, he stepped closer to her.

"No." he said reached out a hand and placed it gently across the side of her face. "You don't care about her the way you care about _me."_

Her surprised gasp made his pulse quicken. She tried to pull away from him, but he pulled her closer.

Lifting her chin, he kissed her, before he even realised what he was doing. He first felt her struggle, and then gradually melt into him.

He reached up and raked his fingers back through her hair, loving the feel of how soft she was.

She was so close, his whole body felt on fire. Too soon though, she seemed to realise what was happening. She pulled herself away from him, shaking her head. "_No._" she whispered, almost more to herself.

"Bastila..." he said huskily, his heart still pounding. What had he done? He tried to step closer again, but stopped at the look he saw in her eyes. Fear, mixed with something else.

Longing? She hastily covered her face with her hands, backing against the wall, her shoulders shaking with sobs that pierced his heart.

He grimaced. He wanted to ask her to forgive him, to hold her in his arms and just say he was sorry for distressing her.

He tried to reach a hand out to comfort, but caught himself. He brought his hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger in frustration, then leaned against the stone wall, tilting his head back against it.

He realised then that she would probably never speak to him again. Jedi don't approve of the sort of thing he had just done, did they?

They were too _good_ for that.

Then he grimaced at his sardonic thoughts.

He remembered her angry words from before. "_You constantly see the worst in people! You won't allow yourself to see the good!"_ And he saw how he had refused to believe her, to trust her, to see the clear, pure goodness within her. All the times she had been a friend, and now he caused her so much grief. He shouldn't have done what he did.

He closed his eyes as he thought of all the times she had spoken, trying to help him, trying to understand him, while he treated her with biting sarcasm and anger.

He heard her move and opened his eyes to see her moving hastily from the room, avoiding his gaze. He stood up straight, and frowned as he watched her leave.

And he realised something else.

Before, he had been confused, resisting what he thought he felt, squashing his emotions and every thought of tenderness or compassion that happened to worm it's way into his mind.

He thought of the times he saw her risking herself to feed starved prisoners, how she spoke with him, even with _Sheeba_ to help them. The way she always looked on him with compassion and understanding. He saw now how she had gracefully accepted her sentence to the torture chamber.

And suddenly, everything was clear. Although he had to discover that now, in the wake of his ruining their friendship, he knew what he felt.

And he knew he would never be the same again.

Because as he watched her step gracefully out the chamber, the Dark Acolyte of the Sith felt his frozen heart thaw.

He knew.

And he accepted it.

************************************************************************************************************

Bastila sat on her bunk, her arms hugging her pulled up knees, tormenting thoughts and feelings swirling through her mind.

She had acted like a fool today. What must Lorccan think of her? He kissed her, and she wept like a child. She shook her head in embarassment.

When she had fled the room, she had felt his gaze on her, making her face burn, and making her want to break into a run to get away from the feelings he roused in her.

She felt on fire every time she rememered Lorccan's touch. She closed her eyes and rested her head on her knees. She thought of him and her heart jumped.

Before she had been unwilling to admit what she felt every time she saw him, but now, how could she deny it?

But she had to.

Attatchment such as the one she was entertaining was forbidden by the Jedi Code. _Love_ was effectively forbidden.

The Jedi were meant to be gaurdians of the peace, understanding, empathetic and compassionate.

She lifted her head, frowning in thought. She groaned in frustration. _Compssion. Empathy._

Surely empathy and compassion were the offshoots of love? If love in general was off limits, then she was in deep trouble.

For she loved her mother and brother. She loved Ania and Obiwan.

Weren't those all attatchments aswell? Or was it only romantic love that was forbidden?

Or are true Jedi not supposed to have feeling and only pretend?

Should she reject what she felt for Lorccan, or embrace it? _Too many questions_.

She was so confused, her head hurt.

Everything hurt.

She hoped the Jedi wouldn't take too much longer to find her. She felt in far too deep.

_Anakin...Oh Ani, come quickly._


	4. The Choice

_**Sith Acadmey--Korriban **_

_He felt consumed by the fire surrounding him. _

"No, no..." Lorccan groaned, holding his head in both hands, "....No. Not again. Please."

But the vision continued, ignoring him completely.

_A young girl screamed, and Lorccan found himself running and dodging falling wood. He felt clumsy, as if he were very, very young. _

_The screams were shooting through his head._

_Lorccan searched frantically. A tiny little girl was hunched on the ground, her face unclear, arms outstretched towards him. Lorccan found himself running over to her and covering her body with his own, protecting her from the falling debris._

_When he looked up again, the fire was gone, and the crumbling building had been replaced by an ancient wood. _

_He frowned, standing cautiously. _

_Then he heard the girl's ear splitting scream again._

_He spun around to face a horde of black shapes heading towards them from amongst the trees. _

_Two of them grabbed each of his arms, and began hauling him away. Lorccan tried to resist, but found that he felt incredibly weak._

_The girl continued to scream, and he heard other voices gradually join hers, reaching a piercing crescendo of agony. _

_And all were suddenly silenced._

Breathing heavily, Lorccan raised a shuddering hand to his brow, wiping away the beads of perspiration that had settled there.

_I can't believe I'm this shaken over a _dream. But the horror of those screams. That fire...

Snorting sardonically, he shook his head, attempting to laugh at his weakness.

But after one single mirthless chuckle, he felt his face crumple. Hot, wet, and entirely unfamiliar tears filled his eyes and spilled down his face.

Making no effort to wipe them away, he backed up until he fell against the hard, stone wall.

He slid effortlessly down, falling on his haunches.

Resting his arms on his knees, he bowed his head and wept.

*************************************************************

_**Jaroedia Plains--Toribha**_

Anakin frowned as the dark shape danced into view once again, only to be re-swallowed by the cool night.

The three Jedi had been walking quietly for a standard hour, leaving the speeder far up the ridge and out of sight. Before, the shadowy figures would appear once every five or ten minutes.

Now they were darting across the Jedi's field of vision with maddening frequency, as if the swift figures were shy fae people, peeking out at the newcomers, and hoping to tease them with their irritating antics.

But Obiwan knew that these were no sweet and innocent fae. The dark side of the Force surrounded each figure as well as the moonless night did.

Obiwan turned to his companions and whispered, "They know we're coming. Maybe have even planned it. But, either way, we need to find Bastila." The other Jedi nodded. "We just have to go in prepared. And be rational." He looked pointedly at his Padawan, who was gazing out distractedly towards the odd edifice.

Anakin, feeling the eyes of the Jedi upon him, met their gazes and blinked innocently.

"What?" He asked uncertaintly.

Obiwan shook his head. "Never mind. Let's just be prepared for anything we may face in there. Alright?"

The three then continued along their shadowed path.

Closer now to the strange building, Ania could see that it wasn't very tall or very large. It rose just barely 1.5 metres off the sandy ground. But she sensed multiple dark presences within, and judged that most of the structure's capacity was below ground, like a large iceburg out to sea.

"I think--" Before she could finish her sentence, one of the figures leapt at them from somewhere in the darkness, and suddenly the night was a lot less quiet than it was a moment before.

Lightsabers sprung to life. Ania brought up her purple blade, only to find herself in a lock with one the colour of blood. In the light of the sabers, she could see the assassin's dark, peircing eyes. His Zabrak features were half covered by the heavy black hood he wore.

Ania pushed her blade up and around, darting to the side of her zabrak opponent. He spun around, lightsaber in hand, as she flipped back to land on her feet.

Daring a glance at her comrades, Ania observed they were also fighting their own battles.

Quickly, she turned back to see the zabrak marching purposefully towards her, his unsettling, evil smile illuminated red in the bright light of his up-held weapon.

As he got to her, he raised his lightsaber above his head and screeched a spine tingling battle cry. Again, Ania ducked and rolled away from her young opponent.

Suddenly, she heard the zabrak issue a surprised cry of agony, and turned just in time to see her enemy's severed arm lying smoking on the ground, still clutching his lightsaber.

Young Anakin Skywalker stood next to him, and as the arm hit the ground, he brought his own leg down in a sweeping movement, catching the zabrak behind the knee and causing him to topple backwards onto the floor.

Standing above him, Anakin twisted his lightsaber twice in his hand before bearing the blade down into the zabrak's chest.

Breathing heavily, Anakin approached Ania, holding out a hand to help her up. "You alright Master Ania?"

"Yes Anakin, thank you," she replied, dusting herself off. She then gazed around at the carnage as Obiwan approached them. There were at least four or five bodies lying crumpled on the desert floor.

"Is everyone alright?" he asked.

Ania nodded.

"Just a couple of scrathes, nothing more." Anakin replied with a shrug.

"Those attackers remind me of the one who fought Quigon and I at Tatooine and Naboo. Like Jedi but...twisted." Obiwan said, looking passed them at the strange structure. "We should get going."

The entrance to the building was a small dark hole in the wall, that the Jedi had to duck in order to enter into.

The further along the tunnel they went, the more the floor sloped downwards, until they were able to walk upright with metres to spare above their heads.

The inside was made of a dusty, reddish stone, the air heavy and thick and the atmosphere oppressive.

Presently, they came to a massive cavern. It was empty for the most part, but was lit with arhaic torches which adorned the red walls. In the centre was a huge, gaping chasm, with a bridge running across it that seemed to simply extend from the floor.

It looked to Anakin just like those heavily cliched enemy's lair from the few holovids he had seen in his lifetime.

And the cliche's kept piling up. Anakin would've rolled his eyes, had his soul not darkened so immensely within the cavern.

On the other end of the bridge, a massive door, over twenty metres tall and ten wide, covered in ancient runes, was waiting for them.

*****************************************************************************************

The three Jedi reached the entrance, and summoned the Force in order to open the ridiculously large door.

"Someone's got an ego." Anakin remarked, gazing up at it.

Obiwan grunted in agreement. Releasing the door of their Force grip, the Jedi stepped cautiously through the small opening.

The air around them began to compress, and the ancient door closed slowly behind them. Anakin glanced back at the door, then directed his gaze across the dark room, muttering under his breath. "You have got to be kidding me."

Presently, the three companions became aware of a low laugh, gradually raising in volume, and all tensed. The source of the sound came from a tall elegant feature that seemed to gradually form from the cavern's deepest shadows as she stepped out to appraise the Jedi.

Obiwan's eyes narrowed. "Asajj Ventress."

Anakin glanced sharply at his master, recognising the name, and tightened his grip on his lightsaber.

"Obiwan Kenobi." Ventress smiled. "I have so been looking forward to seeing you again."

"Where's my sister, _schutta?_" Anakin growled. Ventress rested her eyes on him in mock surprise, then back to Obiwan pointedly, cocking one brow.

Looking back at the seething Padawan, Ventress smiled sweetly. "I'm so terribly sorry." she said, feigning compassion. "But dear little Bastila seems to have turned to the darkside. Although I'm sure you will like to know that she put up a fight. She had to be tortured continuously before she would even budge. But she saw the truth eventually."

She could see the affect her words had on Skywalker. His eyes clouded over and he was seething with rage. _How delightful. _This one would be easy picking.

"Anakin." she heard Obiwan whisper to his Padawan in an attempt the calm him.

But Skywalker wouldn't have it. "Where _is _she? Tell me now! Or I swear I will split you in two from foot to forehead."

Throwing her head back, she laughed. "Spirited one, aren't you?"

Still laughing, she seemed to melt back into the shadows. Anakin rushed forward, lightsaber in hand, but Obiwan and Ania grabbed him, pulling him back. "Anakin, don't be a fool! We will take her as _one._" Obiwan whispered harshly. "She is not the only one we must fight."

Glancing around them, they found themselves surrounded by beings as dark as the shadows they spawned from. Each held a dark red saber.

The Jedi turned, back to back, facing their fifteen odd opponents.

Obiwan whispered over his shoudler. "As _one_."

Their enemies lunged.

***********************************************************************************

Anakin shut down his weapon as their last enemy fell. "That wasn't as tough as I thought it would be," he said, breathing heavily. He still felt so pent up with rage.

"I don't think it was meant to be," Ania replied, coming to stand beside him.

"I agree. Tire us and frustrate us, maybe." Obiwan looked at Anakin who stubbornly refused to meet his gaze. "Anger us."

Anakin clenched his fists. He still couldn't stop thinking about what Ventress said. Bastila couldn't have fallen, could she? If she had, then she was as good as dead. No one who fell to the darkside came out the same person. But he knew Bastila. She wouldn't have given in. She could be as stubborn as himself sometimes. But the possiblilty was still there, and it frightened him. He couldn't lose her. Not like that...

"Anakin. We need to go after Ventress. I have a feeling she will try to flee again. She has a knack for doing that at crucial moments."

"Right." Anakin agreed, snapped out of his thoughts. "Let's do it."

The three ran through the shadow shrouded halls. Before long they reached an average sort of room that had two corridors splitting into two different directions at the opposite wall, creating a fork like effect. In the centre of the room was a hologram pedestal, that crackled to life as the troupe passed by it. Retracing their steps to see what it was, they found themselves staring at the 3 dimensional figure of Assajj Ventress, flickering in blue.

"Oh, and Obiwan," she said with a thoughtful frown on her face, "before I leave, I do believe they are keeping your little Jedi in the old Dreshdae region of Korriban." The hologram said this as if it were simply informing Obiwan of where he'd left his jacket or boots. "Do you know it?" Then the face of Ventress lost it's innocent look. Instead it smiled, it's eyes like happy daggers. "You'd better hurry."

Then the hologram sputtered and died.

**************************************************************************************************************

_**Sith Acadmey---Korriban**_

News had reached the Dreshdae Academy, that Assajj Ventress was on her way, with the Jedi, and most importantly Skywalker, in tow. Before Bastila could even fully register in her mind what this meant, she saw Lorccan Juda and Kaidaan Marr marching towards her. Each grabbed an arm and began dragging her down the corridor. She winced as Kaidaan's fingers bit into her arm.

As she stumbled to try find her footing properly, she glanced up at Lorccan's grim face. "Lorr---?" she queried before being gruffly cut off.

"Be quiet."

She was thrown into a room at the far end of the temple which she had never seen before. While the other Acolyte, Kaidaan, remained in the doorway, Lorccan came in and knelt on his haunches in front of her.

"Skywalker, You will stay here until Tyranus says otherwise. If you resist your chains, more will die. Is that understood?"

"Yes." she said softly, as he began shackling her to the stone wall. Looking into his cold hard face, she felt her heart breaking. "Oh, Lorccan." she whispered brokenly

Ignoring her, he stood and turned his face away. Kaidaan said nothing, just turned and left, hatred for her burned upon his face. Lorccan followed him. But when he got to the doorway, he stopped and turned to look at her. His eyes meant hers for a brief second, and he opened his mouth as if to say something. Seeming to think better of it, he closed it again, and, frowning, stepped from the chamber, closing the door, once again, behind him.

*******************************************************************************

"Master Tyranus, Skywalker is secured." Lorccan reported to Dooku.

"Good. Assajj will be here in a matter of hours. And the Jedi with her." Tyranus smiled. His master Darth Sidious would be pleased to hear his report.

*********************************************************************************

Bastila's head shot up as a familiar presence brushed the corners of her mind.

_Anakin!_

He was here!

*********************************************************************************

An hour after Ventress' arrival back at the Academy, it was reported that the Jedi's space vessel had landed outside the building. As Lorccan moved by the other Acolytes, he felt the presences of the three Jedi coming closer. The orders were to kill Kenobi and Nors, but spare Skywalker, for hewould undoubtedly soon become one of them.

Then, a shout. "Dooku!"

The Acolytes turned as one to see a tall young Jedi rushing towards them, blue lightsaber ignited. A call was heard from further off, "Anakin!"

The Dark Jedi, most of them grinning like maniacs, lit their crimson blades, creating an effective wall of red light. They were just about to strike the onrushing Padawan, when Tyranus came forward and called out ,"Stop!"

So the Acolytes held their peace for now, and Anakin Skywalker stopped in front of them, soon joined by Obiwan Kenobi and Ania Nors, all breathing heavily.

"Where is my sister, Dooku?" Skywalker darkly demanded.

"Oh, you don't know?" Dooku replied casually. "She's one of us now, Anakin. I am truly sorry if this fact grieves you."

Then, smiling slightly, he raised his hand. Seeing this sign, the Acolytes eagerly attacked.

Apart from Lorccan Juda. He stood amongst the fray, like a boulder might stand agaisnt a flowing river. Yet, everyone was so caught up in the excitement of battle, no one noticed him.

Instead, he stood, and watched the people that Bastila loved. There was Anakin, the same age as himself, strong, and he sensed, full of anger and fear. But also filled with the same love he had always sensed in Bastila. The older Jedi, Kenobi, valiant, patient, calm, much like the feelings radiating from the Togruta Jedi. Although her's were mingled with a profoundly strong sense of fear.

But just like Anakin it was not for herself, but for her Padawan.

These people were the ones she loved. These people were her family.

Family like he himself had lost. Could he bring himself to take from her what had been taken from him?

The orders were to kill Kenobi and Nors, but spare Skywalker.

He closed his eyes tightly. As long as Anakin didn't know where his sister was, that she hadn't fallen to the darkside, he was in danger of falling to himself, out of fear and anger. He knew that if Anakin fell, it would kill Bastila.

Making up his mind, he opened his eyes, and ran from the room.

*************************************************************************************

"Bastila!"

Bastila's head shot up. "Lorccan?"

He rushed to her side and unshackled her . "Come, Tila, quickly!" Grabbing her wrist, he pulled her from the room.

*************************************************************************************

Anakin watched his fifth opponent fall to the ground in front of him, the scent of laser burned flesh wafting up from the black robed body.

Presently, he saw a small form dashing towards him. "Bastila?!"

She ran to him, and he gathered her into his arms, hugging her with a fierce protectiveness. Then, stepping away from her, he quickly impaled a Dark Jedi who had attempted to take advantage of the situation. "Bastila, step back!" he ordered, as another dark haired opponent rushed towards him. As he was about to lunge at him, Bastila screamed, "Anakin, no! He's a friend!"

"What?" he asked disbelievingly, his eyes never leaving the Acolytes.

Looking slightly uncomfortable, the dark Jedi spoke to him. "I will fight with you and keep these bastards off your backs."

Sensing only honesty, Anakin made a quick decision. He nodded, and together with his sister and the strange Acolyte, he fought off their enemies.

When the last opponent had fallen, Bastila turned and smiled when she saw that, like Lorccan, Sheeba had been fighting alongside them.

But her smile quickly faded when she saw Ania lying, slumped against one of the cold walls, Obiwan kneeling beside her.

"Master Ania!" Bastila cried, rushing to her mentor's side and gasping inwardly at the sight of the nasty lightsaber gash across her abdomen.

Seeing her Padawan safe and well, the Togruta smiled weakly. Then she made Bastila open her hand. In it, she placed a cylindrical object.

The symbol of the Jedi. "Red is not your colour." she smiled, her eyes twinkling. "You are a Jedi. Take it, and use it well, young one."

"Master.." But Ania's eyes had already closed. Bastila bent her head and wept, Lorccan, Sheeba, Obiwan and Anakin, standing around her like grimfaced sentinels.

"It seems Tyranus and Assajj have fled. They were always cowards." Sheeba eventually informed them. "Obviously, neither of them counted on the absolute devastation of their plan. Or that their own would turn on them." She looked at Lorccan then.

And, for the first time in his life, he returned her gaze.

And smiled.


	5. Epilogue

Obiwan Kenobi found Bastila alone on a bench in the Room of a Thousand Fountains, head bowed. Sensing his approach, she looked up from her hands and weakly returned his smile. "Obiwan."

He sat down beside her. "How are you holding up?" he asked her gently.

She nodded. "Obiwan..." she swallowed and took a deep breath. "I think I'm going to leave the Order."

"No." he said and shook his head. "You're not."

"But, Obiwan, what am I supposed to do? Every Master I've ever had is dead. Master Jodd, Master Kata. And now Master Nors. Because of me. Perhaps I'm simply not meant to be a Jedi, Obiwan."

Once again, Kenobi shook his head, and looked her straight in the eyes. "You will become a Jedi, Bastila. The Council has agreed to let me train you."

"What?!" Bastila exclaimed, standing abruptly and looking down on him. "But you already have Anakin! You can't take on another Padawan. It's unheard of!"

Standing also, Obiwan replied evenly. "Not unheard of, Bastila. Just rare. Reserved for special cases." he smiled. "Cases such as yours. Anakin will become a Jedi in only a few years, but until then, train you both, I shall."

*************************************************************

Bastila stood at the Temple window, gazing out over the city of Coruscant as the evening sun cast a soft orange-yellow glow upon the impossibly tall skyscrapers.

Things seemed to have worked out, with the exception of Ania's untimely death.

The Acolytes were broken and divided, Sheeba had been accepted into the Jedi Order, and Lorccan...Well, she had know idea what Lorccan was going to do. Would he decide to stay here? Would he set out to his homeworld? Discover what had happened to his family? He had been staying here, at the Temple for the past two days while he figured out what he wanted to do.

Sighing, she crossed her arms across her middle.

And this was how Lorccan found her, dressed once again in her loose brown Jedi robes.

"Well, I'm off Skywalker."

She looked at him sharply. "You're leaving?" He nodded. "Where will you go? To Seadhan?"

He shook his head. "No. Well, perhaps." he could very well go there as much as anywhere. Try to solve those dreams. Maybe then they would leave him in peace. "Maybe in time."

"So what will you do until then?"

"I don't know. I just can't stay here."

She looked at him them, her eyes filled with warmth. "Thank you, Lorccan." she said softly. "For everything. You are a good friend, and I hope you find whatever it is you need to be at peace."

Lorccan gazed down at her gentle face and frowned. Slowly, gently, he placed his palm against the side of her cheek and tilted her head slightly. Looking in her wide dark eyes he said quietly, "Even if what I need to be at peace...is you?"

Her face filled with heat and she turned her head back sharply and tightly shut her eyes. Lorccan's hand dropped back to his side.

Bastila couldn't give in to her emotions. She couldn't tell him what she felt. So she said nothing.

Lorccan's face hardened again. "Well, I hope the whole Jedi thing works out for you." he said gruffly. He would leave. He would force himself to forget about her. He had to.

As he marched away from her, Bastila tried desperately to ignore the urge to rush after him and tell him...tell him...

Tell him what? That she...?

No. She could never do that. It was wiser as a Jedi to allow him to leave before things got too messy.

So, heart cracking, she faced the other way as Lorccan Juda walked out of her life...

*********************************************************************************************************************************************

Thank you for taking the time to read Lorccan Juda. It's just ameteur work, obviously. If you have any comments on things that worked, and things that just plain didn't, pretty much just anything that would help me improve my writing, I would really appreciate it. Just constructive critism please, no flaming =D

The story of Lorccan and Bastila will conclude in the sequel, which will be set on Lorccan's homeworld, Seadhan.

Until then, Ciao!


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